Panthers vs. Cardinals Takeaways: Rookies QBs Haynes King, Carson Beck Shine in NFL’s Hall of Fame Game

Two rookie quarterbacks showed out in their first professional action as Carolina took down Arizona 33–27.

Haynes King and Carson Beck showed out on Thursday night. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The NFL made its triumphant return in Canton, Ohio on Thursday night, as the Panthers took down the Cardinals 33–30 in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Aside from showcasing the Hall’s five new inductees—who will officially be enshrined on Saturday night—the contest was highlighted by two rookie quarterbacks battling it out in their preseason debuts. 

For starters, Arizona’s signal-caller Carson Beck began the game under center for the Cardinals and led them to 17 first-half points—which included two touchdown drives. The 2026 third-round pick finished the night 15-for-19 passing for 188 yards and one touchdown, was sacked just once and posted a passer rating of 125.4. Quarterback controversy? We’ll see.

The real star of the game, however, was quarterback Haynes King. The undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech entered the contest in the middle of the second quarter in place of Kenny Pickett and immediately led the Panthers on a touchdown drive, connecting with wide receiver Ja’seem Reed for a score. King was known as more of a dual-threat quarterback in college rather than a polished passer, but looked comfortable using his arm Thursday night—completing 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in this one. Impressive stuff.

It was King’s legs, however, that ultimately won this one for the Panthers. Facing a third-and-14 with just 39 seconds to go, the quarterback ran the ball 26 yards up the middle for a first down to put Carolina on Arizona’s 17-yard-line. Then, five plays later, he made the play below as time expired.

HAYNES KING WINS IT FOR THE PANTHERS ‼️ pic.twitter.com/HESbUZGhBN

— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026

Incredible.

Here’s a full breakdown of our in-game commentary from Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game.

Cardinals 30, Panthers 27: Updates from Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game

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