Shiyazh Pete, the first member of the Navajo Nation to play in the NFL, was given a hero’s welcome in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Indigenous Peoples Day, the Associated Press reports.
Hundreds of people gathered at Tiguex Park to meet the offensive tackle, who lined up for the Dallas Cowboys in two preseason games this year. He spent the afternoon signing footballs and jerseys and posing for photos with fans.
For young Native athletes, his story is proof of what is possible. Sixteen-year-old Dominic Riley, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, simply called him “my inspiration”, while one longtime Cowboys fan said the community was proud to see someone from the reservation get that chance.
Pete is currently a free agent.
Source: Associated Press