news-engine

CANTON, Ohio — Maybe a team should’ve drafted Haynes King. The rookie quarterback ran in from the 5 on the final play to give the Panthers a 33-30 victory over the Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game that kicked off the NFL preseason on Thursday night. King, who was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year last season at Georgia Tech, was 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 39 yards and the winning score. Carson Beck also had an impressive debut for Arizona. After Beck left, Kedon Slovis tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Bryson Green with 1:55 remaining to give the Cardinals a 30-27 lead. But King rallied the Panthers on a night when both teams didn’t play their starters. Bryce Young was King’s biggest cheerleader on the sideline. King’s 4-yard TD pass to Anthony Tyus in the opening minute of the fourth quarter put Carolina ahead, 24-20. King threw a 15-yard TD pass Ja’seem Reed in the second quarter. Both teams gave their backups and reserves opportunities to shine. Beck, Slovis, and King took advantage. Beck, a third-round pick from Miami, completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown. Slovis was 9 of 10 for 106 yards. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is the Cardinals’ starter and their backup is journeyman Gardner Minshew. But expectations are low for Arizona in a division that includes the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers. So Beck may get a chance to play at some point if he develops under rookie coach Mike LaFleur. King is expected to be Carolina’s No. 3 QB behind Young and veteran Kenny Pickett. The Panthers won the NFC South last season at 8-9 and lost to the Rams in a wild-card game. Pickett started and was 8 of 11 for 62 yards before King replaced him. Beck completed all six of his passes on a 98-yard touchdown drive that included a 35-yard strike to Jalen Brooks on third-and-7 from Arizona’s 7. He threw a perfect deep ball to Brooks for a 49-yard gain and finished that drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Simi Fehoko. Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, sat out even though he hoped to persuade LaFleur to let him play. Quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig, kicker Adam Vinatieri, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and linebacker Luke Kuechly make up the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.