Crowning moment: Panthers' Haynes King headlines five standouts from the NFL Hall of Fame Game

We saw a likely NFC Championship preview on Thursday night between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. OK, maybe that's an exaggeration, but football is back, and it was fun. Shame on the NFL fans that didn't find time to watch the first preseason game of the year, because it was the best Hall of Fame Game ever. 

Seriously, the Panthers defeated the Cardinals, 33-30. That's 63 total points scored -- 30 points more than expected. Cardinals quarterback Kedon Slovis threw a 1-yard touchdown to Bryson Green with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Arizona a 30-27 lead, which gave Panthers quarterback Haynes King the opportunity to lead a game-winning drive. Undrafted yet undeterred, King led a 13-play, 65-yard drive -- and punched in the game-winning touchdown on a third-and-goal on the final play of the game. You could practically feel the golden busts in the next building over peeking outside for a look. 

If that's the way the 2026 NFL season is going to start, it could be the best ever. Let's take a look at who stood out from the Hall of Fame Game. 

Panthers QB Haynes King

In previewing the Hall of Fame Game, I pointed to undrafted Panthers quarterback Haynes King as one of the players I'm most excited to watch this preseason. Well, he was the star on Thursday night.

As we mentioned, King led a 65-yard game-winning drive with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, which included three third-down conversions. That includes this third-and-14. 

Down at the 5-yard line with two seconds remaining on the clock, King decided to take the outcome of his first professional game in his hands, and run it in for the win. 

Knowing this player, I wonder how much he actually thought about throwing the ball. This is a legitimate dual-threat signal-caller who ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine, and rushed for 37 touchdowns over his collegiate career. In his final two seasons at Georgia Tech, King averaged more than one touchdown a game on the ground! 

What I will say about King is that he's not the most polished passer. As a prospect, you wouldn't describe him as a pinpoint deadeye that layers the ball with precision in zone coverage, but the dude is a gamer and he's fun ... obviously. The upside and athleticism is evident. You don't win ACC Player of the Year for nothing. 

King replaced Panthers starter Kenny Pickett in the second quarter, and played out the rest of the game. He completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 39 yards, plus the game-winning score. King definitely missed a handful of throws, but made some, too.

Given his background and what happened on Thursday night, this is a preseason star in the making -- just like we predicted. 

Cardinals QB Carson Beck

Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck was one of the headliners of this matchup. The third quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft got the start for Arizona, and he did not disappoint.

The Miami product completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL action, and looked comfortable commanding this Mike LaFleur offensive attack. Maybe that was to be expected from the quarterback who racked up the most wins, passing yards and passing touchdowns in the FBS from 2023-25, but the point is the moment was not too big for him.

In the first quarter while operating out of his own end zone, Beck found a streaking Jalen Brooks off a double move down the right sideline. 

In the second quarter, he found Brooks AGAIN down the left sideline for a 49-yard gain. Pretty solid ball, and shoutout to Brooks for holding onto the pigskin while taking the illegal hit.

That play set up Beck's first touchdown pass -- which went to Simi Fehoko on a throw to the right pylon. I love this toss, because it was to one-on-one coverage and only where his receiver could grab it. 

I'm not going to say there's a quarterback controversy in Arizona. Jacoby Brissett is probably going to start the season. But if he struggles, fans will be calling for Beck early. 

He's coming off a season where he led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff National Championship. While not the most electric playmaker, Beck is effective from the pocket and was compared to Jared Goff by our CBS Sports analysts. I do see some Goff in Beck. From a clean pocket he's dangerous. But he's not the most creative quarterback when under pressure or forced from his progression. Beck was a big winner from Thursday night. It's worth watching him in Arizona's next three preseason matchups.

Cardinals WR Jalen Brooks

We can't just praise the quarterback for his throws, we have to point out the game's leading receiver as well! Jalen Brooks caught three passes for a whopping 99 yards, which includes this disgusting double move that toasted rookie cornerback Will Lee III. 

Imagine impressing Larry Fitzgerald in Canton. 

We also posted the video of Brooks catching a 49-yard pass and surviving an illegal hit above. Gritty.

This is a former seventh-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 out of South Carolina, but Brooks did spend five games with the Cardinals last season. In 27 career games played, he's caught 21 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. 

Panthers WR Ja'seem Reed

There are plenty of Panthers playmakers I could mention here. Miles Davis led the team in rushing with 53 yards on four carries, Jimmy Horn Jr. led the team in receiving with 44 yards on four receptions and AJ Dillon looks like a legitimate power back. But let's talk about Ja'seem Reed for a second.

The former undrafted wideout out of San Diego last year has been a training camp darling in Charlotte, and he caught two passes for 30 yards and a touchdown on Thursday. He was also working in on special teams, returning a kick for 26 yards. Keep an eye on this kid. 

Cardinals LB Austin Keys

This was an undrafted linebacker Brian Flores initially saw something in. Austin Keys landed in Arizona late last season, and is battling for a roster spot. He did his part on Thursday, leading all teams in tackles with 11, plus one tackle for loss on a screen he read well. 

Keys also had a play in the second quarter where he stopped a would-be touchdown in one-on-one coverage downfield. Talk about perfect timing in reading the hands of the tight end. 

Keys appeared to be one of the best defenders for the Cardinals in their first outing of the season. I'm curious if he can work his way up the depth chart.