2026 NFL Hall of Fame Game Takeaways

Welcome back to NFL football! We eagerly awaited the annual Hall of Fame Game, which featured the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. It has been too long without football, and even though this tilt rarely includes much playing time for starters (if any), we had fun just getting back to the game. This was the most competitive version of this game I’ve seen in some time (unlike last year’s edition). Carolina won 33-30, with the winning score coming on the very last play of the game. We learned quite a bit from the affair! Tune in for the induction ceremony tomorrow, but for today, enjoy our Hall of Fame Game takeaways!

Cardinals QB Carson Beck Looks Very Sharp in Pro Debut…

By far the most intriguing aspect of this game was the play of 3rd-round rookie QB Carson Beck. With zero starters playing on either team and #3 pick Jeremiyah Love sitting too, Beck getting the start was the main topic of conversation. After reminding everyone that this was a preseason game with backups and third stringers, I actually think Beck did quite well. His stats (15/19, 188 yards, TD) were excellent, but that wasn’t the takeaway for me. I was far more impressed with how he ran the offense and the way he through the football. And I’m not talking about simple arm strength or accuracy. It’s the little things.

For example, on one drive that started near his end zone, Beck threw a beautifully lofted deep ball to WR Jalen Brooks (3/99). Many rookies would throw a fastball there, but Beck recognized a wide-open man and made it easy for him. Later during the drive, Beck threw a pass to RB Corey Kiner (14/57/1) near the goal line. Understanding that his target was about to get hammered, Beck threw the ball low to protect Kiner from the hit. These are the things that translate regardless of your opposition. While there will undoubtedly be hiccups, Beck made an outstanding first impression to build off of next week.

…and So Does Panthers UDFA QB Haynes King

We’ll be talking a lot about rookies this month (obviously), but the two main QBs who played in this game deserved their own sections. Unlike Beck, King didn’t start the game, but boy did he finish it. The main knock on King coming out of Georgia Tech was that he was merely a runner, not a passer. Though the Yellow Jackets don’t run as much triple option as they used to, they are in fact a heavily running-based team. Nobody seemed to tell King (21/34, 180 yards, 2 TDs; 3/39/1 rushing) about that, as he made some really nice throws while leading his team to a comeback win. Even commentator Chris Collinsworth noticed.

While far too reckless in college, King played with a much more controlled style here. He used his mobility to good effect, but he didn’t always take off and run. Most of the time, he used his legs to extend plays before throwing accurate passes to his receivers. I thought he mixed different speeds well for his throws, and although he’s definitely not as developed as a passer as Beck is, you can see the improvement. Of course, his last-second scramble and dive for the winning score was vintage King, but aside from the clutch moment, that’s not the impressive part. The rest of his plays meant much more for his prospects.

Panthers’ RB Plans Clarified by Who Didn’t Suit Up

Continuing with the Carolina side of things, since Rico Dowdle departed for Pittsburgh, the RB2 job has been a question mark. One option the team hoped would blossom is 3rd-year back Jonathon Brooks. Brooks barely played at all during his first two pro seasons due to various injuries. However, he has reportedly turned heads in camp, and he earned himself some first-time reps. I wondered whether we’d see him in the Hall of Fame game, but the former 2nd-rounder sat on the sidelines. Based on what we know about how teams allot playing time during the preseason, this is great news for Brooks’ future.

Especially in this particular game, teams sit most or all of their starters, along with many backups and guys they expect to have at least somewhat important roles during the regular season. Given Brooks’ injuries, you’d think he’d need the playing time to get back into the flow of live action. Therefore, sitting out speaks to how the Panthers view his progress. Other backs got work instead. It was nice to see AJ Dillon (3/18/1; 1/18 receiving) on an NFL field again, and Trevor Etienne (4/12) saw a bit of run early. The fact that we did not see Brooks though is a sign that Carolina has bigger plans for their talented RB.

New Arizona HC Matt LaFleur Shines with Play Calling

Not all of the rookies who played in this game were players. New coaches got their first opportunities as well, and none were more prominent than Arizona’s head coach: Mike LaFleur. My biggest question about him concerned play calling. Many OCs who earn HC jobs had play-calling experience first. LaFleur came from San Francisco, where Kyle Shanahan was in clear control of the offense. People also wondered if the LaFleur name (his brother Matt is the coach of Green Bay) helped him land the Arizona job. I prefer to wait and see how a guy performs before judging him, but even I was perplexed by Arizona’s choice.

As it stands now, LaFleur is off to a very good start. That’s particularly true in the play-calling department. He kept his friend and well-regarded opposing DC Ejiro Evero off-balance the entire game, always seeming to be a step ahead. Most tellingly, LaFleur handled his rookie QB very well. Beck seemed comfortable in the offense and knew where to go with the football because LaFleur gave him the answers to the test. Despite the loss thanks to an outplayed 4th-string unit, Arizona should come away from this game feeling good about the man they hired. A long season may await the Cardinals, but they might have the right leader.

Rookie Watch

Each week of the preseason, I’m going to try to highlight a few rookies that stood out. With only one game on the schedule this week, we had limited options, but both teams had some standouts. For Detroit, fifth-round WR Reggie Virgil (5/66) flashed quite a bit. The 5th-rounder made some really nice plays, and although he probably wishes he could’ve caught a Beck deep ball in heavy traffic, he still showed out well. On defense, UDFA CB Elijah Culp had a nice game, with 5 tackles and 2 PBUs. At 5’11”, he has to be very physical to win (which led to a roughness penalty), but he certainly held his own against some speedy receivers.

Carolina saw more rookie contributions. Undrafted RB Myles Davis (4/53; 3/9 receiving) did best among the backs. He was the guy in the game on the final 2 drives, where the Panthers scored 10 points. Fifth-round RB Zakee Wheatley, known for his raw athleticism, flew around the field. He led all Panthers with 8 tackles. As far as future contributors go, keep an eye on CB Will Lee III. The 4th-rounder slid (perhaps teams saw my Combine commentary), but he always played better than he tested. A star on a very good TAMU defense, Lee has starter upside. He showed glimpses of that here with 4 tackles and a quality PBU.