HALL OF FAME GAME 2026: Panthers 33, Cardinals 30Canton, Ohio, August 6, 2026 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Football is back. And it came back with a walk-off.
In the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, the Carolina Panthers beat the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 thanks to a 5-yard touchdown scramble by undrafted rookie QB Haynes King as time expired.
It was a fitting kickoff to a weekend honoring Luke Kuechly and Larry Fitzgerald — both franchises had legends entering the Hall — and it gave us a look at the future at quarterback for both teams.
How It Happened — Quarter by Quarter
1st Half: Carson Beck Steals The Show
Arizona's third-round rookie Carson Beck was the headline coming in, and he delivered. Beck finished 15-of-19 for 188 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 125.4 passer rating and at halftime was 11-of-14 for 148 yards with a score.
He hit Simi Fehoko for a 5-yard TD in the second quarter after connecting on a 49-yard bomb to Jalen Brooks. The game was tied 17-17 at the break after a wild 34-point second quarter.
For Carolina, veteran Kenny Pickett (now on his 5th team in 5 years) went 8-of-11 for 62 yards before giving way to Haynes King.
3rd Quarter: Defense Finally Shows Up
Pace slowed. Chad Ryland hit field goals to push Arizona ahead 20-17, and a Quinton Newsome forced fumble on Anthony Tyus III swung momentum.
Beck's night ended early in the third. Kedon Slovis replaced him.
4th Quarter: The Haynes King Chaos
King to Anthony Tyus III — 4-yard play-action — Panthers take their first lead, 24-20.
Ryland answers: 35-yarder, 24-23 Panthers. Then Ryan Fitzgerald extends it to 27-23 with 6:53 left.
Slovis to Bryson Green — 1-yard TD originally ruled out but overturned — Cardinals back up 30-27 with 1:55 left.
Then King. 13 plays, 65 yards in 1:55. 26-yard scramble out of bounds with 28 seconds left, then on third-and-goal with 2 seconds left, he saw a lane, powered through contact keeping his leg off the ground, and scored.
Final: Panthers 33, Cardinals 30
Final Stat Lines
Carson Beck (ARI): 15/19 (71.9%), 188 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT, 125.4 rating, 2 rush for 3 yds
Haynes King (CAR): 21/34, 180 yds, 2 TD, 39 rush yds, 3 carries, 1 game-winning rush TD, 4.46 40-yard dash at combine
Arizona RB depth: Bam Knight, Corey Kiner, Evan Hull combined 32 carries, 140 yds, 1 TD — without their top 4 RBs
My Opinions — 3 Takeaways
1. Beck Belongs. USA TODAY gave Beck an "A" for his debut, and I agree. Poise, field-reading, accuracy to all levels. Jacoby Brissett is still QB1, but Beck should be pushing Gardner Minshew for QB2 immediately. If this continues, Arizona has a real controversy by October.
2. Haynes King is NOT just a camp arm.
Undrafted from Georgia Tech, but that elite mobility changes everything. He missed a wide-open TD to Jimmy Horn Jr. before half, so he's raw. But for a team that just lost Will Grier to retirement, King looked like a legitimate developmental QB3 who can win you a preseason game — and maybe more.
3. This Preseason Actually Mattered. Usually Hall of Fame Game is sloppy. This was 63 points, lead changes, and a buzzer-beater. Both coaching staffs should be happy: Cardinals have RB trade capital, Panthers have QB depth. And for fans — after 6 months without football since February — this was exactly the return we needed.
Next up: Full Preseason Week 1 starts this weekend, with regular season kicking off Sept 9 with Seahawks vs Patriots.