Undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown on the final play of the game to give the Carolina Panthers a 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The game, held on Thursday, served as the annual Hall of Fame game, which marks the start of the National Football League (NFL) preseason.
The Hall of Fame game is a traditional exhibition contest that precedes the full preseason schedule for the rest of the league. It typically features two teams selected to play in Canton, Ohio, coinciding with the induction ceremonies for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The game concluded with King’s run as time expired, securing a three-point win for Carolina. Detailed statistics for other players and specific scoring drives throughout the earlier quarters were not reported.
Fans of both franchises, totaling millions across the Carolinas and Arizona, will notice the resumption of weekly game broadcasts and the beginning of team evaluations for the 2026 season. While preseason results do not count toward regular-season standings or playoff eligibility, they serve as the first live-action test for new offensive and defensive systems. Tickets for such events often range from $50 to several hundred dollars, impacting the travel and entertainment budgets of thousands of attendees who visit the Hall of Fame site.
The game also marks the return of media rights activations for broadcasters and the start of seasonal revenue generation for the NFL, which reported over $19 billion in revenue in previous years. Following this contest, the remaining 30 NFL teams will begin their own preseason schedules. The next significant dates for these specific teams include further preseason matchups and the mandatory deadline to reduce rosters to 53 players, though specific dates for those cuts were not reported in the source.