Undrafted Panthers Rookie Quarterback Haynes King Was Star Of Hall Of Fame Game. Can He Make The Team?

Haynes King is an NFL star.

That is, nan Carolina Panthers undrafted rookie backmost is an NFL prima successful early August aft precisely 1 preseason game.

Sure, Thursday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame crippled betwixt nan Panthers and Arizona Cardinals was thing much than a meaningless accumulation successful which few, if any, existent starters played.

But NFL fans person been starving for immoderate benignant of action for almost six months, and King provided plentifulness of that during Carolina’s thrilling 33-30 triumph successful Canton, Ohio — particularly connected nan last play of nan game.

Even if his NFL profession ends up going obscurity (more connected that successful a minute), nan reigning Atlantic Coast Conference subordinate of nan twelvemonth retired of Georgia Tech will ever person this spectacular, game-winning tally for his item reel:

After erstwhile USC backmost Kedon Slovis connected pinch receiver Bryson Green for a one-yard touchdown walk to springiness Arizona a 30-27 lead, King had 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining successful regularisation to lead nan Panthers to a comeback win.

He completed 4 passes for 24 yards and besides scrambled for 26 yards to thief Carolina get to nan Arizona 5-yard statement pinch 2 seconds near connected nan clock. Haynes took nan shotgun threat astatine nan 10 and dropped backmost to nan 14 earlier shooting up nan middle, pump faking astir nan 7 and diving into nan extremity area for nan game-winning score.

A monolithic endzone ceremony ensued.

“I’ll show you what, I couldn’t breathe,” King said afterward. “But it was amazing, conscionable going retired location and being capable to observe pinch nan guys that you’ve been OTAs, each training campy with, and busting your butt, and to yet spell retired location and observe pinch them and conscionable showcase your talent is very fun.”

Franchise backmost Bryce Young did not play. Veteran backup Kenny Pickett started nan crippled and played 3 bid earlier King took over. The 25-year-old rookie completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards pinch 2 touchdowns and nary interceptions. He besides ran for 39 yards pinch 1 touchdown connected 3 carries.

“Haynes did a awesome job,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said aft nan game, “just keeping nan play alive, doing immoderate he had to do, tally it, propulsion it.”

After playing sparingly for 3 years astatine Texas A&M, King established himself arsenic a dual threat astatine Georgia Tech complete nan past 3 seasons. During that time, King completed 67.6% of his passes for 7,907 yards pinch 55 touchdowns and 24 interceptions (including 16 during his first play pinch nan Yellow Jackets). He besides rushed for 2,277 yards and 36 touchdowns.

King performed good astatine nan NFL scouting harvester earlier this year, running nan 40-yard dash successful a blistering 4.46 seconds. Questions astir his property and passing expertise whitethorn person led teams to skip complete King during nan draught successful April, but nan Panthers snatched him up successful free agency instantly afterward.

Kurt Warner and Warren Moon were undrafted quarterbacks who yet landed successful nan Hall of Fame. Tony Romo and Jeff Garcia did beautiful good for themselves arsenic well. Will King beryllium capable to hit nan likelihood for illustration those guys?

His chances of making Carolina’s 53-man roster improved greatly past period erstwhile seasoned backup backmost Will Grier announced his retirement, which bumped King up to No. 3 connected nan extent chart.

More performances for illustration he had Thursday nighttime surely won’t wounded King’s origin either. Take a look astatine his tally during nan last drive:

Again, it’s only preseason ... but, man, he was awesome.