NFL fans left stunned as Cardinals rookie Carson Beck dazzles against the Panthers in his pro debut
Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck is threatening to start over veteran Jacoby Brissett after an impressive debut performance against the Carolina Panthers in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game.
Ahead of Saturday’s enshrinement ceremony in Canton, Ohio, the 23-year-old ignited the quarterback debate by completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, while projected starter Jacoby Brissett was a healthy scratch.
Beck’s performance did come against a Panthers defense that was without injured edge rusher Nic Scourton, not to mention healthy scratches such as defensive lineman Derrick Brown, newly acquired linebacker Devin Lloyd as well as defensive backs Jaycee Horn and Tre’Von Moehrig.
Still, viewers were nonetheless excited to see Beck’s five-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko a few downs after his 49-yard bomb to Jalen Brooks, who had 99 yards on three catches on Thursday.
‘Carson Beck is balling right now,’ wrote NFL reporter Ari Meirov on X. ‘He just dropped a picture-perfect TD pass into the bucket to Simi Fehoko.’
‘Sooo what week will Carson Beck be replacing Jacoby Brissett..?’ a fan asked.
In his pro debut, Cardinals quarterback Carson beck completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards
Beck did take a sack Thursday, but lost only two yards on a play that could have been worse
Carolina Panthers quarterback Haynes King was equally impressive in his first pro game
Another predicted: ‘Watch out Jacoby Brissett, Carson Beck is coming. My guess is, mid season Beck starts.’
Beck was a third-round pick out of Miami after guiding the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff championship, where they fell to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Prior to that, Beck spent four seasons with the University of Georgia, where he won two national titles as a backup before two strong seasons as the Bulldogs starter.
And Beck wasn’t the only impressive quarterback on Thursday.
Undrafted Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns after winning ACC Player of the Year honors over Beck last season.
Best of all, King scored the winning touchdown on the game’s final play with a five-yard run that capped a 13-play, 65-yard drive over the final two minutes of action.
Georgia Tech’s Haynes King reacts in 2024 after a crushing loss to Carson Beck and Georgia
Beck transferred to Miami last season, where he lost ACC Player of the Year honors to King
At the gun, the final score was 33-30 in the Panthers’ favor.
‘Carson Beck vs Haynes King is the new [Tom] Brady vs [Peyton] Manning,’ one fan joked on X.
Beck and King have previously faced off at the end of the 2024 college football season, when the Bulldogs’ edged the Yellow Jackets, 44-42, in eight overtimes.
Both players were exceptional that day, with King passing for 303 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 110 yards and three scores on the ground. Beck finished with 297 passing yards and a whopping five touchdowns in the winning effort.