Starting QB matchup set in HOF Game between Panthers, Cardinals

The Carolina Panthers are set to face the Arizona Cardinals in the annual Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday night. Head coach Dave Canales has announced that none of their regular starters will participate in this exhibition game. Instead, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will take the field for the Panthers, with undrafted rookie Haynes King expected to handle the majority of the playing time thereafter.

For the Cardinals, rookie Carson Beck will be their starting quarterback, a revelation that came as a surprise to Beck himself. According to Josh Weinfuss at ESPN, Beck was unaware of his starting role until the team made it official. "I really didn't have any expectations of going into any of this," Beck stated. "But, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm really excited."

Beck, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 215 pounds, was the first third-round pick in this year's draft, selected by Arizona at No. 65 overall. Prior to his professional career, he played college football at Georgia, spending most of his first three seasons on the sidelines. In 2023, he made his mark as a starter for the Bulldogs, recording 3,941 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The following season, his stats dropped slightly, with 3,485 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Beck transferred to Miami (Fla.) after the 2024 season, where he posted his best college performance yet. He led the ACC with a 72.4-percent completion rate and amassed 3,813 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and achieved a career-high 157.0 quarterback rating.

In the Panthers vs. Cardinals matchup, we should not expect to see Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett play. After Beck's brief stint, the ball will be handed off to Gardner Minshew and/or Kedon Slovis. For more Panthers content, follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X.