6 biggest winners for the Panthers from the 2026 Hall of Fame Game
· Yahoo Sports
In a refreshing change, the Hall of Fame Game turned out to be an entertaining show. The Carolina Panthers topped the Arizona Cardinals in a wild 33-30 win.
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But what really matters in the preseason is the impressions that the players made. So, let's focus on a handful of guys that stood out in a good way.
Here are four players who did themselves a favor on Thursday night . . .
QB Haynes King
King, no matter how well he ends up playing this preseason, probably won't force the Panthers to carry a third quarterback onto the initial 53-man roster. But he certainly had to have opened some eyes across the league.
The undrafted rookie completed 21 of his 34 throws for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He also showed off his legs, rushing in the game-winning 5-yard score as time expired.
RB AJ Dillon
Carolina's run game came to life in the second quarter when Dillon hit the field, flashing some of the former explosiveness we saw early in his career in Green Bay. He posted an 18-yard catch and run and a few power rushes, including one for the first touchdown of the preseason for the Panthers.
Dillon finished with three carries for 18 yards.
WR John Metchie III
The most dynamic receiver we saw for Carolina in the first half was the free-agent pickup in Metchie, who got things started with a 35-yard kickoff return early in the second quarter. He'd follow that with a slick 19-yard catch-and-run.
Metchie ended up with 38 receiving yards on three grabs.
WR Ja'seem Reed
Reed, one of the summer standouts for the Panthers, made an impact through the air as well. He reeled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from King.
He also showed a little something on special teams, downing a punt on Arizona's 1-yard line in the first quarter.
WR Jimmy Horn Jr.
Horn made a case of his own, too. The 2025 sixth-rounder notched four catches for a team-leading 44 yards.
CB Will Lee III
Your first pro game at cornerback is never an easy thing, and Lee did have a welcome-to-the-NFL moment when he got smoked on a double move in the first quarter. However, the fourth-round pick also had several of his own moments—including a pass breakup to end the Cardinals’ first drive.
Lee also proved a willing tackler and made some solid stops in the open field.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 6 biggest winners for the Panthers from the 2026 Hall of Fame Game