One of the best NFL preseason games you could watch, happened to be the first one of the 2026 season.
In a rematch of the 2024 Georgia vs. Georgia Tech 8-OT game, rookie quarterbacks Haynes King and Carson Beck shined as the Panthers beat the Cardinals 33-30.
Beck was the standout performer in the first half for Arizona, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown without committing a turnover.
The former Georgia and Miami signal-caller was extremely efficient with a 6-7 start through the air, consistently made the right reads, and capped off an impressive 13-play, 96-yard touchdown drive with his first NFL scoring pass. Beck’s accuracy, command of the offense, and ability to push the ball downfield provided an interesting discussion going in the regular season for a potential quarterback battle with starter Jacoby Brissett.
Meanwhile the ultimate star of the night was former Georgia Tech gunslinger Haynes King.
King finished 21-34 with 180 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 yards on the ground with a game winning touchdown run to cap it as time expired.
While it looks like both quarterbacks aren’t guaranteed to get any notable playing time in the regular season, the NFL’s first preseason game certainly gave a glimpse at what could be with the two rookies from the state of Georgia.
Image Courtesy: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
