Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales came away impressed after Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game, and not just with the rookie who stole the spotlight in the comeback.
Haynes King did plenty to grab attention in the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals. After entering in the second quarter for Kenny Pickett, King helped lead Carolina back for a win and finished the night with 21-of-34 passing for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 39 rushing yards on three carries, including the game-winning run on the final play.
That performance earned him praise from the national media and from his head coach.
But Canales also made sure to single out Carson Beck, who put together a sharp showing of his own in the national showcase. Beck went 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a passer rating of 125.4.
"He operated like a professional," said Canales. "He looked fantastic.
He was accurate. He was on time.
Our rush was decent. He got the ball out, threw some really beautiful passes down the field, up the sideline on some double moves, over the middle, to keep the drive alive in some third-down situations so tip my hat to him."
The two quarterbacks arrived in different ways, but both entered Thursday with something to prove. King was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year last season but went undrafted, and he’s now competing for a roster spot behind Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett.
Beck, meanwhile, transferred to Miami after starting at Georgia and helped push the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff title game, where they finished runner up to Indiana. He was selected on day two of the 2026 NFL Draft and is trying to build a case for playing time this season.
For both rookies, the opener gave them a strong start. The next step is carrying that momentum through the rest of training camp and into the Panthers’ next preseason games.
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Haynes King gave Carolina plenty to feel good about in the Hall of Fame Game against Arizona, showing the kind of dual-threat spark that can settle a quarterback battle in a hurry. He completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, added three carries for 39 yards, and found the end zone on the ground as well, a strong outing for a player trying to carve out momentum heading into the rest of camp.
Instead, the bigger takeaway from the exhibition turned into concern when King went down with a hamstring injury and was labeled week-to-week. Carolina does have two other quarterbacks on the roster, but the timing has the Panthers exploring their options, including a recent workout with Kyle Trask as they wait to see how long they may be without the player who had been trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Haynes King Just Gave Panthers Fans A Real Reason To Watch
Carolinas preseason opener gave fans a much-needed glimpse of something worth tracking, and rookie quarterback Haynes King was right in the middle of it. In his NFL debut against the Arizona Cardinals, King handled the moment with poise and energy, finishing 21 of 34 passing with two touchdowns while also adding 39 rushing yards and a score on the ground in a 33-30 Panthers win.
King looked like a quarterback willing to challenge defenses, showing arm strength and decisiveness while helping steer multiple scoring drives. He was not spotless, with a few inaccurate throws and one misdirected run mixing into the good, but the overall package was enough to make the outing feel meaningful for a team looking for reasons to keep watching this preseason closely. [Read more 🡒]