The Carolina Panthers opened the 2026 NFL preseason with a dramatic 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, as rookie quarterback Haynes King scored the winning touchdown on the game's final play.
Arizona appeared to have snatched the win late, going up 30-27 with 1:55 remaining, according to coverage from Yahoo Sports. But Carolina drove back down the field, and King capped the response by carrying the ball in from 5 yards out with no time left on the clock to seal the win for the Panthers.
A Fitting Preseason Opener
The Hall of Fame Game traditionally kicks off the NFL's preseason slate and doubles as part of the annual induction weekend festivities in Canton, which honor the newest class enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This year's edition delivered a finish befitting the occasion, with the outcome undecided until King's touchdown on the last snap, as detailed in live updates from CBS Sports.
For Carolina, the result offers an early, if preliminary, look at King's ability to operate under pressure in a live game setting, even with preseason rosters and game plans still in their earliest form. Arizona's late lead and Carolina's answering drive gave both coaching staffs meaningful in-game reps as they begin evaluating personnel ahead of final roster cuts later in the summer.
The final score will carry no weight in the standings, since preseason results do not count toward either team's regular-season record. But the closing sequence, a two-score deficit erased in the final two minutes, gave fans in Canton a competitive finish to a night that is often used more for roster evaluation than genuine competition between starters.
Both the Panthers and Cardinals will now turn to the remainder of their preseason schedules as they fine-tune rosters and depth charts before the regular season begins.