Football Is Back: Panthers and Cardinals Deliver a Hall of Fame Game Worth Remembering

Carolina’s Haynes King scores on the final play as the Panthers beat Arizona 33–30 in Canton

Football is officially back — and apparently nobody told the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals that the Hall of Fame Game was supposed to be a sleepy preseason exhibition.

The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 33–30 Thursday night in Canton, Ohio, when rookie quarterback Haynes King scrambled five yards for a touchdown as time expired, ending the NFL’s first preseason game of 2026 in about as dramatic a fashion as possible.

No, it doesn’t count in the standings.

Yes, most of the stars were watching from the sideline.

And absolutely, everyone will forget large portions of this game by the time December arrives.

But for one August night in Canton, it felt like football again.

And that matters.

A King-Sized Finish for Carolina

The biggest story of the night belonged to King.

The undrafted rookie entered behind veteran Kenny Pickett and proceeded to turn what could have been another routine preseason opener into his own personal audition tape.

King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, then added 39 rushing yards on three carries. His biggest run came last.

With Carolina trailing 30–27 and the clock disappearing, King took the Panthers down the field and eventually found himself with one final opportunity.

He didn’t throw it.

He tucked the football away, escaped the pocket and raced five yards into the end zone as the clock hit zero.

Game over.

Panthers 33. Cardinals 30.

Welcome to the NFL.

King’s performance was particularly interesting because Carolina already has a defined starter in Bryce Young, meaning the real competition during the preseason could be happening behind him. Pickett started Thursday and finished 8-of-11 for 62 yards, but King brought a different level of energy and mobility to the offense.

It was one preseason game, so nobody should be engraving King’s name on the depth chart just yet.

But he made sure the Panthers coaching staff will want another look.

That is exactly what preseason football is supposed to be about.

Carson Beck Looked Ready for the Moment

King may have delivered the ending, but Arizona rookie Carson Beck owned much of the first half.

The third-round pick looked remarkably comfortable in his first NFL game action, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, good for a 125.4 passer rating.

More important than the numbers was how Beck produced them.

He looked composed in the pocket, delivered the football with confidence and showed the arm talent that made him one of college football’s more intriguing quarterback prospects.

His touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko was particularly impressive, dropping the ball into the back corner of the end zone.

Arizona enters the season with veteran Jacoby Brissett positioned atop the quarterback depth chart, so Beck does not need to become the franchise savior overnight.

What he does need to do is show that the game isn’t too fast for him.

Thursday night, it certainly didn’t look that way.

And suddenly Arizona’s quarterback room becomes a little more interesting.

The Forgotten Players Are Why Preseason Matters

The easy thing to do during preseason football is complain about who isn’t playing.

The smarter thing is to watch the players who are.

For dozens of players on both sidelines Thursday night, the Hall of Fame Game wasn’t meaningless.

It might have been one of the most important games of their careers.

Arizona running back Zonovan “Bam” Knight carried the ball 12 times for 60 yards while trying to carve out a place in a crowded Cardinals backfield. Carolina veteran A.J. Dillon also made his limited opportunities count, scoring from one yard out and producing an 18-yard reception.

Carolina’s wide receiver competition also got additional tape for the coaching staff. John Metchie III led the Panthers with three receptions for 38 yards, while Ja’Seem Reed caught one of King’s touchdown passes.

These aren’t necessarily the names dominating fantasy football drafts or appearing in national commercials.

But this is where NFL rosters are built.

For stars, August is preparation.

For players fighting for spots 45 through 53, August is survival.

Canton Was the Perfect Place to Start

There was also something fitting about the matchup itself.

Arizona and Carolina were selected for a Hall of Fame weekend that will celebrate two of the greatest players in their respective franchise histories: Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly.

Both spent their entire NFL careers with the franchises that drafted them. They join Drew Brees, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which will be enshrined Saturday in Canton.

So while Thursday was technically about the future — rookies, backups and players fighting for jobs — the setting was a reminder of the standard they are chasing.

That contrast is what makes Hall of Fame weekend special.

On one side are the players whose careers have already been immortalized.

On the other are players desperately trying to make sure their careers continue for another week.

Don’t Overreact — But Pay Attention

Every August comes with the same warning:

Do not overreact to preseason football.

A fourth-string receiver dominating defensive backs who may not be on an NFL roster next month does not automatically make him the next great weapon.

A rookie quarterback looking terrific against a vanilla preseason defense does not guarantee regular-season success.

And a team winning the Hall of Fame Game definitely does not make it a Super Bowl contender.

But preseason football can still tell us something.

It tells us which young players look comfortable.

It tells us who can execute under pressure.

It gives coaches game film that practice simply cannot duplicate.

And occasionally, someone forces everyone to remember his name.

On Thursday night, that player was Haynes King.

Carson Beck announced himself earlier.

King answered later.

And the first NFL game of the 2026 season ended with a quarterback crossing the goal line as the clock expired.

Not bad for a game that supposedly doesn’t matter.

Football is back.

And if Canton was the appetizer, bring on the rest of the season.

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