Key facts
- Beck completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown in the Hall of Fame Game against Carolina.
- He left the game with 10:15 remaining in the third quarter with the score tied 17-17; Kedon Slovis replaced him.
- His touchdown was a 5-yard fade to Simi Fehoko; he also directed drives of 96 and 61 yards.
- Beck is currently third on Arizona’s depth chart behind Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew.
- At Georgia, his 38.6% first-down rate ranked in the 95th percentile among draft-eligible QBs from 2015-26, per CBS Sports.
- Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami after an elbow injury ended his Bulldogs career during the SEC Championship Game.
Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck made his NFL debut on Thursday night, starting the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in Canton, Ohio. Beck completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, playing a little more than a half before exiting with 10:15 left in the third quarter, at which point the Cardinals and Panthers were tied 17-17. Fourth-string quarterback Kedon Slovis took over for Arizona after Beck left the game.
The box score and how the touchdown came together
Beck directed three scoring drives covering 96, 50 and 61 yards. His touchdown was a 5-yard fade thrown into tight coverage to Simi Fehoko on the team’s second scoring possession. On his final throw of the night, in the third quarter, he connected with Reggie Virgil on what looked like a big gain before Panthers defender Isaiah Simmons knocked the ball loose.
Where Beck stands on the depth chart
Beck enters the season third on Arizona’s quarterback depth chart, behind veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, according to CBS Sports. He was a draft prospect who transferred from Georgia to Miami after an elbow injury ended his Bulldogs career just before halftime of the SEC Championship Game. At Georgia, CBS Sports noted his 38.6% first-down rate ranked in the 95th percentile among draft-eligible quarterbacks from 2015-26, reflecting a game built around staying on schedule and getting the ball out quickly rather than making highlight-reel throws.
Reaction and context
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson and former Titans general manager Ran Carthon, appearing on the “With the First Pick” podcast, said before the game they wanted to see whether Beck could operate an offense efficiently — handling the huddle, motions and shifts without the game speeding up on him — and how he responded to his first professional action. Yahoo Sports’ recap characterized the debut as one in which Beck played “like a professional,” and a separate Yahoo “winners and losers” piece raised the question of whether Beck could begin overtaking Brissett on the depth chart, though no such move has been announced. CBS Sports cautioned that strong Hall of Fame Game performances have historically not been reliable indicators of what follows, given the exhibition nature of the contest and Beck’s current third-string standing.
What’s next
The Hall of Fame Game served as the official start of the 2026 NFL preseason. No further details on Arizona’s quarterback rotation or upcoming preseason schedule were provided in the available reporting.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports — 'Like a professional': Carson Beck's NFL debut couldn't have gone better · Hall of Fame game winners and losers: Carson Beck overtaking Jacoby Brissett already? · Carson Beck shines for Cardinals in NFL debut at Hall of Fame Game · How did Carson Beck play? Stats, performance, grade for Cardinals QB's debut · Cardinals rookie QB Carson Beck impresses as he gets first NFL snaps in Hall of Fame Game · How Cardinals' Carson Beck fared vs. Panthers in Hall of Fame game · How Cardinals' Carson Beck fared vs. Panthers in Hall of Fame game
- CBS Sports
- NBC Sports
Featured photo: Gova Sports via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)