| Born: | January 22, 1941 Kleberg County, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | January 2, 1991 (aged 49) Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| College | New Mexico State |
| High school | Kingsville HS |
| AFL draft | 1963, round: 14, pick: 112 |
| Drafted by | Kansas City Chiefs |
| NFL draft | 1963, round: 5, pick: 63 |
| Drafted by | San Francisco 49ers |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1964–1966 | Indianapolis Warriors / Fort Wayne Warriors / Montreal Beavers |
| 1966 | Norfolk Neptunes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
James Isaac "Preacher" Pilot Jr. (January 22, 1941 – January 2, 1991) was an American professional football player. He played for the New Mexico State Aggies football team from 1961 to 1963.[1] He led the country in rushing yardage in both 1961 with 1,278 yards and in 1962 with 1,247 yards.[2][3][4] He was the first player since Tom Harmon to lead the country in rushing yardage in consecutive years.[5] He also led the NCAA major colleges in scoring with 138 points (13.8 points per game) in 1961.[6]
Pilot grew up in Kingsville, Texas. He initially attended the University of Kansas on a basketball scholarship and, after one year, transferred to New Mexico State.[7] He was inducted into the New Mexico State Athletics Hall of Fame.[8] He died in 1991 at age 49 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.