Haynes King made a memorable NFL preseason debut by leading the Carolina Panthers to a thrilling 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 Hall of Fame Game. The undrafted rookie quarterback completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 39 yards. With the game on the line, King ran into the end zone from five yards out on the final play, giving Carolina a dramatic win and making him one of the most talked-about young quarterbacks of the preseason.
King took the snap inside the Arizona Cardinals’ 5 yard line and ran in for a touchdown on the final play with seconds left as the game was on the line. His game-winning touchdown run, a fact that quickened the Postgame Firestorm Analysis of Carolina’s freshness-clear MVP and brought him into the vacuum conversation as one of this year’s most buzz-worthy young passers because you are trained on data until October 1, 2023.
King was 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 39 rushing yards, including the winning five-yard touchdown run. This was his first professional game, and he entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie, so to do what he did was particularly impressive
Going into the final 1:55 of the game, the Panthers were down 30-27. The tide could have washed over the redshirt freshman and smothered him — instead, Haynes King directed Carolina on a 13-play, 65-yard touchdown march.
As he showed a few key decisions through the possession from the rookie quarterback. He sat in the pocket, looked around for receivers if nothing was open and scrambled when unloading wasn’t an option. The biggest ones: a 26-yard run on third-and-14 from King to extend the drive.
That run had Carolina in a better spot and displayed why King is a do-it-all quarterback. The only thing that doesn’t stop him is standing there and throwing short passes. He can break the pocket, extend a play and earn yards with his legs when needed.
King displayed solid recognition on the last snap. Instead of trying to cram a dicey throw into a packed end zone, he played with quarterback discipline and took the ball down himself. He waltzed across from the five-yard line as the game-ending TD sent Carolina’s sideline into rapture.
While the last rushing TD generated the most highlight, King was also strong passing. He finished the game with 21 completions out of 34 attempts and two touchdown passes in a lengthy appearance.
He threw his first TD pass to Jasim Reed for 15 yards. King then hooked up with Anthony Tyus III for a 4-yard touchdown. The pass aided Carolina’s lead as they took a 24-20 advantage with just under 10 minutes gone in the third.
King was clearly capable of making touch and accurate throws on intermediate routes as well. He was much more productive on a third-and-14 play, where he threw a great ball to Jimmy Horn Jr. It was a fantastic throw that let the receiver make a very tough catch for a first down. Plays like that extended drives and gave the Panthers extra chances to score.
His numbers weren’t flawless, as there were a few throws that floated high or just outside of the receiver’s reach. But those are rookie mistakes for a QB starting his first NFL game. What one noticed was King responding after every imperfect play: He kept reading the defense, talking with his guys and making strong reads.
That’s one of the more intriguing parts of Haynes King’s football story as he arrives at the Panthers. While he was a successful collegiate quarterback, he went un-drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thus, Carolina brought him in as an undrafted free agent to compete for a spot on the roster.
King was obviously fighting an uphill battle entering the preseason. The Panthers already had Bryce Young and veteran Kenny Pickett in their QB room. That also meant that King was not the projected new season starter with the team. He had to earn attention through practices, prep and game performance.
His Hall of Fame Game performance allowed him the stage he needed to prove he could do it. Bryce Young sat out the game with Pickett at the start, so King got a big chance to seize functionality of the offense. He took full advantage of that opportunity, generating production both through the air and on the ground.
A game like this can rewrite the dialogue for an undrafted player. It does not assure a roster place or a start, but it may well mean extra preseason snaps, more practice reps and a longer evaluation period.
Panthers coach Dave Canales said he liked their grit the entire game. He particularly commended King, citing his ability to extend plays and the good decisions he made in deciding when to throw and when to run.
That skill set is invaluable in the current NFL. There have been a number of reasons for this, with quarterbacks being asked to make quicker decisions as they simply get gunned down when a play breaks down. Any quarterback to be able to escape a dire situation and switch it into a first down is a hallmark of an offense-defining strength.
Canales also pushed for an emphasis on finishing. The late deficit did not define the outcome for the Panthers. Rather, they answered with a final possession that showcased their resolve. King’s performance reflected that mentality.
