Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck (19) warms up before playing the the Carolina Panthers at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck had everybody leaving rave reviews about his performance against the Carolina Panthers after the two teams opened the 2026 preseason with a 33-30 Panthers win in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.
Beck, selected 65th overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, received the start for Arizona with veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew sitting out. The 24-year-old remained on the field until the middle of the third quarter before Kedon Slovis took over.
Though the Cardinals couldn't come away with the victory, Beck's first NFL appearance hinted at a promising future. He completed 15 of 19 attempts for 188 yards and one touchdown, finishing with a 78.9 completion percentage, a 125.4 passer rating and no interceptions. He also rushed twice for three yards and was sacked once.
Beck was a polarizing prospect after a long college career ended with him leading Miami to the College Football Playoff National Championship, only to lose to Indiana in a thrilling game. Beck's first NFL performance after that roller-coaster college career had fans going wild, with the NFL Memes account on X, formerly Twitter, commenting about one big-time throw that would've changed everything in that national title game if he made it then.
If Carson Beck makes this exact throw in the National Title Game, he's holding up the trophy that night pic.twitter.com/P74UNNC8qN
Even Panthers head coach Dave Canales couldn't say enough about Beck's NFL debut.
“He operated like a professional,” said Canales. “He looked fantastic. He was accurate. He was on time. Our rush was decent. He got the ball out, threw some really beautiful passes down the field, up the sideline on some double moves, over the middle, to keep the drive alive in some third-down situations so tip my hat to him.”
Carson Beck shines in preseason debut
Beck's best moments included two huge connections with wide receiver Jalen Brooks. One produced a 35-yard gain on third down after Beck used a pump fake to deceive the secondary. The other was the highlight seen above that went for 49 yards, with Brooks absorbing a hard but legal hit and maintaining possession.
Beck also displayed instinctive pocket awareness. On an Arizona third-and-7 near its own goal line, Beck moved slightly forward in the pocket to avoid pressure before finding Brooks for the 35-yard completion. He also connected with Brooks over the middle in a tight window to extend another drive.
Beck's only touchdown came on a five-yard pass to Simi Fehoko. Rather than firing the ball directly into the end zone, he placed a lofted throw where Fehoko could make the catch near the back corner.
The Cardinals quarterback led Arizona to four scoring drives during his time on the field. His performance also included no interceptions, although he had three false starts during the outing. Head coach Mike LaFleur was particularly interested in seeing Beck handle the offense cleanly and command his teammates.
Canales also pointed that Beck was able to make the game difficult for the Panthers defense despite Carolina generating a decent pass rush. Beck's outing included just one sack, while his ability to process the field and fire accurate throws on time remained a constant throughout the game.
The Cardinals had given Beck extensive first-team repetitions during the offseason while Brissett was holding out during contract discussions. Brissett eventually reached a new agreement with Arizona in July.
Although Beck's performance could add intrigue to Arizona's quarterback situation, the Cardinals still have Brissett as their expected starter. Beck's Hall of Fame Game, however, provided an early indication of why Arizona invested a third-round selection in him.
The Panthers ultimately secured the win when rookie quarterback Haynes King scored the game-winning touchdown on a scramble as time expired. King finished 21-of-34 for 180 yards and two passing touchdowns, while adding 39 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.