The Arizona Cardinals kicked off the NFL’s 2026 season by playing the Carolina Panthers in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The contest is part of the Hall of Fame weekend, which includes various festivities with the conclusion of the induction of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Former Arizona great WR Larry Fitzgerald was part of this year’s class. With the Panthers, former linebacker Luke Kuechly was also a class member.
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And now for the game.
For one, the expectations with any starters entering the game and getting snaps are pretty low. That should be true for all four exhibition competitions. Back in the day, every coach and player gave it their all to win just because it was a game and they were competitive.
Also consider it was the first game for Mike LaFleur as an NFL head coach.
A decade ago, the tradition was that the starters bypassed the first game and then played two series in the second preseason game, a full quarter in the third match, and then the first half in the final contest. Now, few starters make an appearance at all at the exhibition level.
The reason for preseason games is numerous.
First, the coaching staff needs to find out which players to cut. The training camp roster is 90 players, which has to be pared down to 53 plus a 17-member practice squad before Week 1. That is quite a few athletes to let go, and the last thing any head coach wants is to see a guy they had in camp become a star player elsewhere. Secondly, rookies need to get acclimated to the professional level, which is bigger, stronger, and faster.
Thirdly, with new players signed from other teams, they know their former team’s schemes and playbook, but not the Cardinals’ stuff. Practice and classroom meetings are a great help, but seeing what these players have absorbed in a live game is critical. And finally, great practice players don’t necessarily translate into great talent on the field when there is live hitting and quick decision-making. Case in point, last year’s training camp darling was OG Isaiah Adams. He was named the starter at LG to start the season, then struggled mightily once he no longer faced second-and third-stringers.
Who played well for the Cardinals against the Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game? Who did not?
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BEAKS
QB Carson Beck – You have to admit – the kid delivered. He was poised, never became flustered, and did well while rolling out. Beck threw strikes and stepped up in the pocket when he felt it begin to collapse. His magic began early when he left the pocket and ran for four yards on a third-and-three.
With 5:30 left in the first quarter, Beck hit WR Jalen Brooks for 35 yards after beating CB Will Lee down to the 42-yard line. After being pinned down at their own three, on second-and-six, Beck found Brooks again for 15 yards and then RB Corey Kiner for eight that was marked at the one. A very deep pass to Brooks in the second stanza gained 49 yards as CB Akayleb Evans attempted a pass breakup, but Brooks was able to cradle the long pass. Beck had another smart play when a short screen was upset by the defense and the signalcaller wisely tossed the ball into the turf instead of forcing the play. As well as Beck played, keep in mind he went up against second-teamers for his two-plus quarters.
But watch the pass he sent flying into the back corner of the end zone that was caught by WR Simi Fehoko for the touchdown. Exact placement. Went 15-19 for 188 yards with one touchdown pass, zero interceptions, and was sacked just once. Two of the incompletions were touched by the receiver.
K Chad Ryland – The experienced kicker connected on all three field goal attempts and converted 3-3 on PATs. He was also able to have two kickoffs land in the end zone for touchbacks. Ryland did what kickers are supposed to do.
WR Jalen Brooks – A lot of noise from training camp on this kid, and he balled out. Has great speed and is elusive. Twice, Brooks juked his defender out of his Nikes to run free. Before kickoff, he was listed as the second backup behind Marv Harrison and Fehoko. If he continues, Brooks will be impossible to cut. Three receptions for 99 yards and a 33.0 yards per catch average.
OT Josh Fryer – Listed on the depth chart as the backup to LT Paris Johnson, but lined up at RT while all of the second team offense was in the game. Held his own without any sacks allowed, but he did have a false start in the second quarter. Fryer looked good and did not allow any defender to get close to Beck.
LB Austin Keys – Somehow, this guy needs to find a spot on this year’s defense. Every time you looked up, there was #53 making a tackle or swatting the ball away. Saved a touchdown in the second quarter when he was beaten a step by TE James Mitchell. Unable to see the pass, but not holding his man, Keys threw up his arms, and the ball hit him in the elbow and fell harmlessly to the turf. Led all Cardinals defenders with 11 total tackles. Find a spot for this guy.
WR Reggie Virgil – The rookie looked very good once he started getting targets. With 5:46 before halftime, he caught a 14-yard pass. In the third quarter, Panthers S Isaiah Simmons was all over Virgil when the pass came as a bullet for nine yards early in Quarter 3. Nice 16-yard grab late in the game. This kid will push WR Kendrick Bourne for playing time, and maybe his job.
S Isaiah Oliver – This kid was all over the field the entire time he got snaps. Eight total tackles. Solid game defensively.
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GEEKS
Return game – First it was punt returner Harrison Wallace who, instead of moving towards the punt in flight, sorta waited around and instead of fielding the kick, let it bounce around until it was downed at the three-yard line. In the third quarter, Xavier Weaver muffed the kickoff in the end zone and had to fall on it. In all, one punt return for a 7.0 average and three kickoffs for a 24.7 yards per kick average. Yikes. Was surprised that Bam Knight wasn’t involved in kickoff returns.
CB Elijah Culp – Playing way too much off his receiver all night. Then that stupid 15-yard penalty in the third quarter that not only gave Carolina a first down, but marched them down the field now in Arizona territory. Now keeping the drive alive, seven plays later, the Panthers scored a touchdown when, once again, Culp (#26) looked inside off the snap as the running back, Tyus, was in plain view flaring out. Culp came up but never looked at Tyus until he had snagged the short pass and was headed into the end zone. Culp finished with five tackles.
Stopping the run up the middle – When the game was second-teamers on both sides, the Cardinals had issues with sealing up gaps up the gut. The Panthers gashed the defense for a 36-yard run and a 26-yarder. Realize all the defensive tackle starters were standing along the sidelines in a Larry Fitzgerald #11 shirt, but most of these guys are fighting for the DT3 and DT4 roster spots. Arizona will only keep four DTs. This game showed some issues with the depth.
Winning late, then losing – It’s just an exhibition game designed to show the coaches what they don’t know about the halfway point of the roster and down. The Panthers got the ball back with 1:55 remaining and losing by three as the defense couldn’t stop their progress. Last year’s version had seven games in which they were winning late in the contest before getting the loss. Isn’t that what happened in this game? Ruh roh.
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Bird Seed – We’re kind of like a woodpecker in a petrified forest
RG Chase Bisontis – Played decently against Carolina’s second-team defense. Had two good runs off his shoulder by Knight that moved the sticks. Bisontis did allow the sack in the second quarter on a third-and-four that killed any touchdown thoughts and ended up with a field goal instead. He got DT Elijah Garcia to get a 5-yard penalty when the defender jumped, and then Bisontis immediately reached out to grab him, and the whistle blew. The rookie held his own.
RB Bam Knight – In a very crowded running back room, Knight showed he will be difficult to cut later this month. Several good runs with lots of tackle shedding and YAC numbers, including an 11-yarder early and a hard-fought 15-yarder. 12 carries for 60 yards.
QB Kedon Slovis – Yes, both team’s third string players were in the game, but Slovis still had to place the ball in a spot. And he did just that. The one-yard TD pass at the end was in a tight window. A 16-yarder and 17-yard strike to Virgil during the Cardinals’ final drive, and that 27-yard gain to Wallace early in the final quarter. Finished going 9-for-10 for 106 yards, one TD pass and zero interceptions.
DT Andrew Billings – The Cardinals are looking for a replacement for Calais Campbell that can occupy space. Billings has never driven by a buffet and can still rush the passer. Has a great bull rush and got the sack early in the game. Four total tackles, two tackles for loss, plus the game’s only sack.
LB Karson Sharar – Another rookie who found a bit of spotlight. Played sparingly but was good in coverage and had four total tackles.
Nickel Quinton Newsome – Decent in coverage, but his direct punch-out hit on the football from RB Anthony Tyus with 9:34 left in the third quarter was spectacular. Two tackles.
Offensive line – As a whole, for the two+ quarters the second team offensive line was in the game, they did a really good job. They gave Beck time to survey the field and kept him upright with just one sack. Beck really wasn’t hit that often, which is a huge testament. Saw some good stuff from the rookie Bisontis and Pryor, and Jon Gaines played well at center. Now the coaches know more about what their depth will look like going forward. The third-team O-Line had plenty of issues.
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2026 Cardinals Preseason Schedule
August 13 (Thursday) at Las Vegas Raiders at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern)/ 5:00 p.m. local time. Broadcast: FOX5 Vegas (KVVU) (Las Vegas market), Arizona’s Family Channel 3 KPHO/KTVK (Tempe market). Live streaming on Fubo and NFL+.
August 22 (Saturday) Dallas Cowboys at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern)/ 7:00 p.m. local time. Broadcast: NFL Network, Arizona’s Family Channel 3 KPHO/KTVK (Tempe market). Live streaming on Fubo.
August 28 (Friday) at Green Bay Packers at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) / 5:00 p.m. local time. Broadcast: Packers TV Network WGBA NBC 26 (Wisconsin market), Arizona’s Family Channel 3 KPHO/KTVK (Tempe market), Live streaming on Fubo.
