Panthers QB Haynes King: Dream come true to showcase my talent in front of Hall of Famers

NFL preseason games don’t matter in the standings, but they matter a lot to undrafted rookies trying to make the team. And few undrafted rookies have had as impressive a preseason debut as Panthers quarterback Haynes King in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game.

King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, with no sacks and no turnovers, and he also ran for 39 yards, including the game-winning touchdown run as time expired. King spoke afterward about how much it meant to him to play like that in Canton, Ohio, in front of dozens of Hall of Famers in town for enshrinement weekend.

“It was a dream come true,” King said. “Growing up, you hear about all these first-ballot Hall of Famers, and to see some of them walking in front of you before the game is pretty amazing. And to be able to showcase your talent in front of them is a dream come true.”

The 25-year-old King spent six years in college football and was the ACC Player of the Year at Georgia Tech last season, but he went undrafted because he was regarded as more of a runner than a passer. He looked very comfortable throwing the ball on Thursday night.

“I’m very excited that I got this opportunity, and I feel like I went out there and operated at a high level,” King said. “I allowed everybody around me to play better as well.”

When King dove across the goal line on the final play of the game, the Panthers’ sideline went crazy, and head coach Dave Canales loved that.

“Haynes is a fantastic athlete and he just finds a way to win, and that’s what he did,” Canales said. “Really proud of the group and also proud of the whole team celebrating. That’s something we pride ourselves on, celebrating how hard we work on these situations and then watching it come alive.”