‘A star is born’ — Haynes King exceeded all expectations in NFL debut, opening fascinating conversations in Carolina
Carolina Panthers undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King was the star of the show in the Hall of Fame Game Thursday night after leading the team to a game-winning drive over the Arizona Cardinals.
On a night dedicated to honoring NFL legends and the future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, including Carolina Panthers great Luke Kuechly, who would have thought that an unheralded player would steal the spotlight?
Carolina Panthers undrafted quarterback Haynes King proved to be the star of the day on Thursday after leading the game-winning drive in the 2026 preseason opener, capping it with a five-yard touchdown run as time expired to give the Panthers the victory.
After the game, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was heard saying, “A star is born,” when talking about the Panthers’ undrafted rookie.
“I’ll tell you what, I couldn’t breathe,” King said after the win. “But it was amazing, just going out there and being able to celebrate with the guys that you’ve been OTAs, all training camp with, and busting your butt, and to finally go out there and celebrate with them and just showcase your talent is very fun.”
Haynes King seizes his opportunity with commanding NFL debut
Going into the game, expectations for King’s NFL debut were modest. There was plenty of excitement surrounding the dual-threat quarterback and what he could bring in a preseason setting. Kenny Pickett, however, was the one getting the start for Carolina although he was never expected to play long. That left a significant window for King to showcase himself, and he took full advantage in his roughly three quarters of action.
“Just take advantage of every opportunity you get,” King told Steve Wyche on the field after his walk-off touchdown. “You don’t know how many you’re going to get. Just go out there, execute, and try to operate at a high level.”
King showed strong command of the Panthers offense with offensive coordinator Brad Idzik calling the plays for the first time this season. Idzik is set to take over as the primary play-caller for the offense, and the early returns looked promising.
King displayed poise and decisiveness at times, though he did get a little too excited on some passes in certain moments. That’s to be expected from a player making his NFL debut on such a stage. There will always be plays King would want back, but the overall showing was impressive for the undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech.
Carolina’s investment in King is already paying early dividends
The Panthers always had high hopes for King. The organization spent considerable time with him during the pre-draft process and paid top dollar to bring him in as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft. That kind of investment in a UDFA speaks volumes about how Carolina’s front office viewed his potential.
King understood the magnitude of the opportunity heading into the game. This wasn’t just about proving himself to the Panthers. It was also about putting good football on tape for the other 31 teams in the league as well. As an overlooked prospect who went undrafted, King entered the preseason with something to prove, and he certainly did that on Thursday night.
“I’m very excited that I got this opportunity. I feel like I went out there and operated at a high level,” King said. “And I feel like I affected a lot of people and allowed everybody around me to play better as well.”
One strong performance doesn’t guarantee King a roster spot with three preseason games left to be played and roughly a month until roster cuts take place, but leading a game-winning drive with a touchdown run as time expired is exactly the kind of moment that can change the trajectory of an undrafted player’s career.
If he can carry this level of play into the rest of the summer, the Panthers may have found something real in their top UDFA. But, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves and make King out to be something he’s not too early. For now, he certainly proved to be a player capable of challenging for the QB2 role based on his first outing, and how he performs and responds after such a game will be important to watch.
