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Haynes King Makes Panthers Roster After Amazing Hall of Fame Game Debut
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- Haynes King Makes Panthers Roster After Amazing Hall of Fame Game Debut
Photo by: Charles LeClaire
Haynes King 's NFL journey has officially reached another milestone.
The former Georgia Tech quarterback has earned a spot on the Carolina Panthers ' initial 53-man roster after turning heads with an incredible performance in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game earlier this preseason. King, who entered training camp as an undrafted rookie fighting for a roster spot, did enough to convince the Panthers that he was too valuable to let go.
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King immediately made his case in the Panthers' 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Canton. In his NFL preseason debut, he completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.
His biggest moment came with the game on the line.
With the Panthers and Cardinals tied late, King led Carolina down the field before taking matters into his own hands. With time expiring, King ran for a five-yard touchdown, giving the Panthers a dramatic 33-30 victory. The play immediately became one of the most memorable moments of the preseason and put King on the national radar.
Unfortunately, King's night ended with an injury. He suffered a hamstring injury on the game-winning touchdown run and was later considered week-to-week. The injury kept him out of the Panthers' remaining preseason action and created some uncertainty about whether Carolina would keep him on the active roster.
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Ultimately, the Panthers decided they could not afford to lose him.
Carolina kept three quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster: Bryce Young , Kenny Pickett and King. The decision shows just how much the coaching staff valued what King demonstrated in Canton.
King's mobility and playmaking ability give the Panthers another dimension at quarterback. His performance also showed that he can make plays with his arm while remaining dangerous outside the pocket.
For an undrafted rookie, making an NFL roster is already a major accomplishment. King, however, has given Panthers fans even more reason to be excited.
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His Hall of Fame Game performance turned him from an unknown rookie into one of Carolina's most intriguing young players. Now that he has officially made the roster, King will have an opportunity to continue developing behind Young and Pickett while potentially earning a role in special packages.
What started as a fight simply to make the team has turned into something much bigger.
Haynes King is officially a Carolina Panther — and his unforgettable debut may have been only the beginning.
