The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals kicked off the 2026 preseason with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio and provided a surprising thriller.Rookie quarterback Haynes King ran 5 yards for a touchdown with no time remaining in the fourth quarter to lead the Panthers to a 33-30 win over the Cardinals. AdvertisementCardinals QB Kedon Slovis connected with a sliding Bryson Green in the right corner of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:55 left. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but replay showed that Green got both feet in bounds and had control of the ball as he hit the ground. As could be expected, both teams’ usual starters did not play. So Bryce Young wasn’t at quarterback for the Panthers, nor was Jacoby Brissett under center for the Cardinals. But that provided an opportunity for rookies to shine. One performance may have been expected, but the other was a surprise.AdvertisementCarson Beck, the Cardinals’ third-round draft pick (No. 65 overall), looked impressive in his NFL preseason debut. He played the entire first half and first series of the third quarter, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and 1 touchdown. Beck led Arizona on a 96-yard drive for that touchdown. He also connected on several deep throws to receiver Jalen Brooks, who caught 3 passes for 99 yards.Beck showed touch on his TD throw, hitting Simi Fehoko on a 5-yard fade route for the score.AdvertisementPlay Yahoo’s new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!Yet King, the Panthers’ undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech, stole the debut spotlight from Beck. Taking over for Kenny Pickett on Carolina’s second possession of the second quarter, King led a 65-yard touchdown drive that was finished off with a 15-yard scoring pass to Ja’seem Reed. King connected on several long throws, including a 16-yarder to Jimmy Horn on third-and-15 that eventually led to the Panthers taking the lead. The likely third-stringer finished completing 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and 2 TDs.AdvertisementHe likely wished he could get a do-over on a 15-yard pass attempt to Horn just before halftime. King had Horn wide open down the right sideline, but overthrew him and Carolina had to settle for a field goal. As it turned out, he got a memorable consolation prize.With Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier both sitting for the Cardinals, Bam Knight and Corey Kiner combined to rush for 113 yards on 24 carries. Chad Ryland kicked three field goals, while Slovis completed 9 of 10 passes for 106 yards and what initially appeared to be the game-winning TD. AdvertisementFor the Panthers, Ryan Fitzgerald hit his two field goal tries. The second of those was particularly important, giving Carolina a four-point lead that provided a chance to drive for the tie or win after the Cardinals went ahead.Live coverage has finished49 updatesThu, Aug 06, 2026 11:40 PM UTCYahoo Sports StaffFri, Aug 07, 2026 03:10 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffThe undrafted rookie QB entered in the second quarter and played the rest of the way after Kenny Pickett got the start under center, and King put together a nice game.He finished 21 of 34 for 180 yards and 2 TDs passing while rushing for 39 yards on 3 carried, including the game-winning score as time expired.That’s two strong preseason debuts by rookie QBs today.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 03:04 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffQB Haynes King is the hero as he scrambles for a 5-yard TD, diving over the goal line as time expires. Preseason games don’t get much more dramatic than that.Carolina was not interested in playing for the tie.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 03:01 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffQB Haynes King and Co. have marched it into the red zone with under 30 seconds to play. King broke off a big 26-yard run to convert a third-and-14.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:53 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffBryson Green hauls in the short pass from Kedon Slovis just before sliding out of bounds. The play was called incomplete on the field and was overturned after replay review. Arizona takes the late lead.Cardinals 30, Panthers 27 | 1:55 to playFri, Aug 07, 2026 02:49 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffArizona will have a second-and-goal at the 1 on the other side of the 2-minute warning with a chance to retake the lead.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:41 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffTake another look at Beck’s best plays of the night:Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:35 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffUndrafted Panthers rookie RB Miles Davis sprung free for a 36-yard gain to set up Ryan Fitzgerald’s 37-yard kick as Carolina extends its lead.Panthers 27, Cardinals 23 | 6:53 to playFri, Aug 07, 2026 02:31 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffBeck’s day is done after playing the entire first half plus one drive in the second for the Cardinals.His final state line: 15 for 19, 188 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTIt was quite the preseason debut for the rookie third-round pick out of Miami.Frank Schwab broke it down hereFri, Aug 07, 2026 02:27 AM UTCYahoo Sports StaffChad Ryland hits a 35-yard kick to cap a decent drive led by QB Kedon Slovis. The Panthers’ lead is cut to a point early in the 4th quarter.Panthers 24, Cardinals 23Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:20 AM UTCIan CasselberryThe Panthers go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Arizona 26-yard line, and Haynes King completes a 22-yard pass to Caden Prieskorn.Carolina follows up with a 4-yard touchdown with King passing to Anthony Tyus III for the score.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:15 AM UTCIan CasselberryThe third quarter ends with Haynes King completing a 7-yard pass to Casey Washington, advancing the ball to the Arizona 27-yard line.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:14 AM UTCIan CasselberryA late hit out of bounds by Cardinals cornerback Elijah Culp helps out the Panthers on third-and-15.The unnecessary roughness penalty was tacked on to a 16-yard pass from Haynes King to Jimmy Horn Jr., advancing the ball to the Arizona 47-yard line.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 02:06 AM UTCIan CasselberryA holding call on offensive tackle Matt Prior and a sack by Carolina’s Nick Hampton stalled the Cardinals’ drive inside the red zone.Arizona has to settle for a field goal. Chad Ryland hits a 43-yard kick to put the Cardinals ahead, 20-17.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 01:59 AM UTCIan CasselberryArizona cornerback Quinton Newsome punches the ball out from Anthony Tyus III’s grasp, resulting in a fumble for Carolina.The Cardinals take over at the Panthers’ 48-yard line. Kedon Slovis is coming in at quarterback for Arizona.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 01:54 AM UTCIan CasselberrySo are we to guess that Maria Taylor and Mike Tomlin did not want ice water dumped on their heads? (Probably a good assumption.)Jason Garrett is the only one who got soaked, so at least there was that. And all for a good cause.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 01:51 AM UTCIan CasselberryThe Cardinals begin the second half on offense, having won the opening coin toss and deferring.Carson Beck is still in at quarterback for Arizona.Meanwhile, social media is pointing out how Jason Garrett was the only one of the “Football Night in America” crew who was properly doused during NBC’s ice bucket challenge in honor of former NFL running back Chris Johnson, who revealed his ALS diagnosis earlier this summer.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 01:40 AM UTCIan CasselberryPanthers – 189 total yardsHaynes King: 11-17, 94 yards, 1 TDAJ Dillon: 3 rushes, 18 yardsJohn Metchie: 3 catches, 38 yardsCardinals – 227 total yardsCarson Beck: 11-14, 148 yards, 1 TDBam Knight: 11 rushes, 56 yardsJalen Brooks: 3 catches, 99 yardsFri, Aug 07, 2026 01:34 AM UTCIan CasselberryRyan Fitzgerald kicks a 33-yard field goal on fourth-and-10 from the Cardinals’ 15-yard line to tie the score at 17-17.After a kickoff, Carson Beck kneels for what will likely be his final play of this preseason game and these two teams go into halftime.Fri, Aug 07, 2026 01:31 AM UTCIan CasselberryHaynes King misses a wide-open Jimmy Horn Jr. from the Arizona 15-yard line that would have been a touchdown.King has done a good job on this two-minute drill, leading the Panthers 50 yards in roughly a minute and a half. But he will lament overthrowing Horn at the right corner of the end zone.
