The 2026 NFL Hall of Fame Game gave the league its first taste of football, and the Carolina Panthers came away with a 33-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals in a game that stayed lively despite featuring almost entirely backups.
That kind of preseason opener is usually about evaluation, and both teams used the extra game to give young players more snaps and a bigger stage. A few names took advantage, stacking up enough good moments to leave a mark as training camp rolls on.
Carson Beck was the headliner for most of the night. The former Georgia and Miami quarterback, a third-round pick after entering the draft as one of college football’s more recognizable passers, put together a strong first showing in NFL action.
Beck threw for 188 yards and a touchdown in more than a half of work, and he looked composed doing it. The 24-year-old ran the offense with confidence and hit enough throws to make a clean first impression.
On the other sideline, Jalen Brooks kept answering back. The fourth-year receiver out of South Carolina was the target for several of Beck’s best throws and made the most of them, flashing downfield against Carolina. Brooks finished with three catches for 99 yards, a useful night for a player sitting deep on Arizona’s depth chart and trying to carve out a path through the summer.
Haynes King also made his case. Even though Kenny Pickett got the start, King handled most of the quarterback work for Carolina and turned in one of the most complete performances of the game.
The former Georgia Tech quarterback looked more polished as a passer than a runner early on, but he finished with 180 passing yards, 39 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. Then he put the game away on the final play with a game-winning scramble.
Andrew Billings brought the veteran presence on defense. The 31-year-old defensive tackle posted four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack, showing exactly why he has stayed in the league this long. With Arizona’s roster considered one of the weaker ones in the league this year, Billings should have plenty of chances to work along the defensive line, and this was a strong opening statement.
Miles Davis rounded out the list with one of Carolina’s most explosive moments. The running back only carried the ball four times, but he turned those touches into 53 yards, including a 36-yard burst that stood out as one of the biggest highlights for the Panthers.
Davis remains low on the depth chart, which means he is not only trying to convince Carolina, but perhaps catching the eye of another team as well. That run gave him a shot to do exactly that.
In Other News...
Cardinals Camp Struggles Are Raising Real Doubts About Mike LaFleur
Mike LaFleurs first training camp as Cardinals head coach has not exactly calmed the noise around Arizona. After taking over for Jonathan Gannon this offseason, he has inherited a roster that was already viewed as thin, and the early returns from camp have only added to the unease. Reports out of practice have pointed to a team making too many unforced errors, the kind of sloppy play that can quickly become a habit if it lingers into the season.
The bigger concern is what those struggles say about the path ahead. USA TODAY Sports has already pegged Arizona for a 2-15 finish, and with talent seen as limited outside of a few core players, the margin for error is slim. For LaFleur, the challenge is not just installing a new approach, but proving the Cardinals can look organized and competitive before those camp issues start defining the season itself. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Get An Early Reminder How Quickly A Backup QB Can Hurt You
The preseason opener in Canton offered the Cardinals a familiar reminder about how fragile a game can become once the backups take over. Carolinas rookie quarterback Haynes King, making his NFL debut in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, stepped in for starter Kenny Pickett in the fourth quarter and helped swing the finish with a game-winning touchdown drive in a 33-30 Panthers victory.
King finished with 180 passing yards and two touchdown passes, a debut that gave Carolina a lift and Arizona a stinging lesson about late-game depth at the most important position. Panthers coach Dave Canales and King both spoke afterward about the performance and the moment, but for the Cardinals the broader takeaway was clear enough: one backup quarterback can change the temperature of a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Beck Just Gave Cardinals Fans A Reason To Look Closer
For a rookie expected to open the season buried on the quarterback depth chart, Carson Beck made the Hall of Fame Game feel a little more interesting than most preseason openers. Against Carolina, the Cardinals rookie looked comfortable in the pocket, kept drives moving and showed the kind of poise and accuracy that can make coaches and fans take a second look, even when the bigger plan still points toward Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew ahead of him.
Becks work came in a first half that offered more than just steady execution, with multiple scoring drives giving Arizona a cleaner offensive rhythm than the average August exhibition. He is still slated to begin as the third-string quarterback, but performances like this are the kind that plant a seed for what comes next, especially if he keeps stacking reps and making the most of every chance he gets. [Read more 🡒]