King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions during the Panthers' 33-30 win over the Cardinals in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game. He added three carries for 39 yards and a score.
Kenny Pickett was under center for the Panthers' first three drives before the keys were turned over to King in the second quarter. King got to work right away, leading Carolina on a 10-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Seem Reed before adding a five-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Tyus on the second play of the fourth quarter. King made one clutch play after another during the Panthers' final drive, including a 26-yard scramble on third-and-14, and his five-yard run on the game's final play resulted in the game-winning touchdown for Carolina. It was an impressive performance out of King, who signed with the Panthers in late April as an undrafted free agent after his name wasn't called during the 2026 NFL Draft. Although Pickett is the favorite to win the backup QB role behind Bryce Young, King could steal that job away if he can continue to play well in training camp and preseason games. The Panthers' next exhibition game takes place Saturday, Aug. 15 against the Bills.