The football season opened with a thriller at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, as the Carolina Panthers faced off against the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 Hall of Fame Game.
In that game on Thursday night, Carolina found a hero in rookie quarterback Haynes King, who delivered a touchdown on the final play to steal the win.
Fans Left in Awe as Panthers’ Haynes King Delivers Match-Winning TD
With the Cardinals holding a 30-27 lead with 1:55 left, King took charge of Carolina’s final possession.
The 25-year-old quarterback snapped the ball out of shotgun, escaped pocket pressure, and showcased his athleticism to scramble into the end zone for a 5-yard walk-off rushing touchdown.
That run gave the Panthers a 33-30 win as the clock wound down, closing out a wild, high-scoring start to the 2026 NFL exhibition schedule.
Soon after, King found himself surrounded by coaches, reporters, and fans.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero ran by during the post-game scene, spotted King in the middle of the media scrum, and delivered a simple verdict: “A star is born.”
NFL writer Nick Harris added to the excitement on X, writing, “LONGVIEW, TX STAND UP!!!”
King opened up on the play after the game. “We’re trying to get big post-action on the inside,” he said. “We had one-on-one with the other.
HAYNES KING WINS IT FOR THE PANTHERS ‼️ pic.twitter.com/HESbUZGhBN
— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026
“We dropped the ball and just kind of parted. I was gonna try to extend the play; obviously, it’s the last play of the game. But then it just kind of parted, and the linebacker started closing his face. And I was like, ‘I can get around him.’ That’s what happened, and [I] scored the ball.”
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King looked calm while creating plays throughout the night after replacing Kenny Pickett early in the second quarter. The Georgia Tech product finished 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, including a 15-yard connection with Ja’seem Reed and a 4-yard scoring pass to Anthony Tyus III.
King added 39 rushing yards on three attempts, with his final run providing the moment that pushed him directly into Carolina’s backup quarterback conversation.
Naturally, Panthers fans quickly embraced the performance.
One supporter summed up the excitement by writing, “That’s our guy!!!!!! Great job!”
King has now left a memorable first impression after signing with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft. But the celebration did not stop with Panthers fans.
Georgia Tech Football also joined the reaction, posting an “ABSOLUTE CINEMA” GIF on to laud King after his dramatic debut.
King spent his first three college seasons with Texas A&M before moving to Georgia Tech for his final three.
At Texas A&M, King completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns across 11 games. However, he also threw 10 interceptions.
With the Yellow Jackets, his numbers took a major step forward. King appeared in 36 games and completed 67.6% of his attempts for 7,923 yards and 55 touchdowns.
King finished his Georgia Tech career with 24 interceptions while averaging 219.6 passing yards per game. Under head coach Brent Key, he produced more than 2,000 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns on the ground.
According to the PFSN CFB QB Impact metrics through the regular season, King posted an 86.4 impact score and earned a B grade.
For now, Panthers fans can simply enjoy a win that delivered one of the most memorable Hall of Fame Games ever. More importantly, King’s finish has raised the bar for what could come next in Carolina.
