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08/06 22:41 CDT Undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King leads Panthers to
33-30 comeback win over Cardinals
Undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King leads Panthers to 33-30 comeback win
over Cardinals
By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer
CANTON, Ohio (AP) --- Maybe a team should've drafted Haynes King.
The rookie quarterback ran in from the 5 on the final play to give the Carolina
Panthers a 33-30 victory over the Arizona 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.
"Well, that was a lot of fun. Just the back and forth of it. Just a really good
game," Panthers coach Dave Canales said. "The guys were resilient and finish is
what we preach as a team. We practice for these situations, end of half, end of
game. ... Haynes did a fantastic job, just keeping the play alive, doing
whatever he had to do, run it, throw it. Really proud of the group."
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 III 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. He had a 26-yard run on third-and-14 to keep the final
drive going.
"These are things that he did throughout his career," Canales said of King.
"The bottom line is move the chains."
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. After leading the Hurricanes to the national championship
game --- a loss to Fernando Mendoza and Indiana --- Beck wasn't overwhelmed by
the national stage.
"It was a cool environment and for him to just kind of, it's just another game
and that's the way he took it and he's been in big ones and that's how his
mindset works," rookie Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said.
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 LaFleur.
Canales raved about what he saw from the opposing sideline.
"He operated like a professional. He looked fantastic," Canales said. "He was
accurate. He was on time. Our rush was decent. He got the ball out, threw some
really beautiful passes down the field, up the sideline on some double moves,
over the middle, to keep the drive alive in some third-down situations, so tip
my hat to him."
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.
Gold jackets 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.
Tomlin makes his TV debut Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made his first appearance with the NBC broadcast crew. Tomlin left Pittsburgh after 19 seasons and became the lead studio analyst for "Football Night in America."
Brissett and McBride in the Hall Brissett and All-Pro tight end Trey McBride stopped by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum to see their jerseys displayed for breaking records last season. McBride set an NFL record for receptions by a tight end in a season with 126. Brissett set a record for completions in a game with 47 against San Francisco last Nov. 16.
Honoring Fitz Cardinals players wore red T-shirts with Larry Fitzgerald's No. 11 in warmups and on the sideline. "It's a great feeling to know your organization stands behind you," Fitzgerald said. "I'm really happy they would honor me like this."
Up next Panthers: At Buffalo on Aug. 15. Cardinals: At Las Vegas on Aug. 13. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Gold jackets 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.
Tomlin makes his TV debut Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made his first appearance with the NBC broadcast crew. Tomlin left Pittsburgh after 19 seasons and became the lead studio analyst for "Football Night in America."
Brissett and McBride in the Hall Brissett and All-Pro tight end Trey McBride stopped by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum to see their jerseys displayed for breaking records last season. McBride set an NFL record for receptions by a tight end in a season with 126. Brissett set a record for completions in a game with 47 against San Francisco last Nov. 16.
Honoring Fitz Cardinals players wore red T-shirts with Larry Fitzgerald's No. 11 in warmups and on the sideline. "It's a great feeling to know your organization stands behind you," Fitzgerald said. "I'm really happy they would honor me like this."
Up next Panthers: At Buffalo on Aug. 15. Cardinals: At Las Vegas on Aug. 13. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
