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Haynes King’s heroics help set new Hall of Fame Game ratings record
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- Haynes King’s heroics help set new Hall of Fame Game ratings record
Haynes King's heroics help set new Hall of Fame Game ratings record appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
It was QB Haynes King who carried the Carolina Panthers across the finish line over the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 NFL Hall of Fame Game. He scored the game-winning touchdown to complete a dramatic 33-30 win.
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In the process, the game itself reached new heights with the highest ratings since 2017, per NBC Sports PR. They averaged 7.0 million viewers on NBC & Peacock.
The 2017 game between the Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys averaged 8.25 million viewers, with the Cowboys winning 20-18.
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King's heroics came with two seconds left and on the 5-yard line. Altogether, King completed 21 of 34 passes for two touchdowns and 180 yards.
The 26-year-old is on the cusp of playing his first official season with the Panthers. He was an undrafted selection by Carolina during the 2026 NFL Draft in April. King signed a 3-year contract totaling $ 3,110,000.
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He played at Texas A&M from 2020 to 2022 in an injury-riddled tenure. King transferred to Georgia Tech from 2023 to 2025, winning the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year.
The NFL Hall of Fame game is played at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The game featured members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Among them were Drew Brees , Larry Fitzgerald , Adam Vinatieri , Luke Kuechly , and Roger Craig.
In 1962, the first NFL Hall of Fame Game premiered when ground was broken for the Hall of Fame. The first game ended in a 21-all tie between the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
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