Cardinals name rookie Carson Beck to start Hall of Fame Game tonight

Rookie quarterback Carson Beck is set to take the first snap of Arizona’s preseason when the Cardinals face the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The Cardinals announced on August 4 that Beck will start in Canton, giving the rookie his first game action under new head coach Mike LaFleur. (azcardinals.com) Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. (azcardinals.com) Thursday’s game is Arizona’s first under LaFleur, who was hired on February 2 after spending the previous three seasons as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator. The Hall of Fame Game also opens a preseason that includes four exhibitions for Arizona because of its Canton appearance. (profootballhof.com) ### Why is Carson Beck starting instead of Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew? The Cardinals said on August 4 that Beck would start, with the team framing the game as the rookie’s first taste of NFL action against Carolina. Arizona’s current quarterback room includes Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, Beck and Kedon Slovis. (azcardinals.com) Jacoby Brissett has been viewed by the team as the most likely Week 1 starter “until determined otherwise,” according to the Cardinals’ quarterback roster reset published in July. Brissett also agreed to a revised 2026 contract last week that gave him a $10 million raise, underscoring his place atop the depth chart entering camp. (azcardinals.com) ### What does Mike LaFleur say about how Arizona will use this game? Mike LaFleur said most starters will not play Thursday against the Panthers, according to the Cardinals’ August 5 preview of the game. That makes the opener less about Arizona’s regular-season lineup and more about evaluating younger players and depth pieces. (azcardinals.com) Thursday also marks LaFleur’s first game as an NFL head coach. NFL.com said Arizona enters the game after a coaching change in February, with LaFleur replacing Jonathan Gannon. (azcardinals.com) ### How unusual is this spot for the Cardinals and the Panthers? Arizona is making its sixth Hall of Fame Game appearance and its first since 2017, according to NFL.com. The Cardinals are 1-3-1 in their previous appearances and were one of the participants in the first Hall of Fame Game in 1962, when the franchise was based in St. Louis. (azcardinals.com) Carolina has not played in the Hall of Fame Game since 1995, its inaugural season. The matchup was announced in March, in part because Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly are part of the Hall’s Class of 2026. (nfl.com) ### Who else is part of the Hall of Fame weekend around this game? The Pro Football Hall of Fame said Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly will be recognized on the field during pregame activities, along with fellow Class of 2026 members Drew Brees, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri. Hall president and CEO Jim Porter said in March that both teams were eager to come to Canton and celebrate players who meant so much to their organizations. (nfl.com) The Hall said the Class of 2026 will receive Gold Jackets on Friday, August 7, and the enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, in Canton. (nfl.com) ### What comes next after Thursday night? Arizona’s official 2026 schedule lists its regular-season opener for September 13 at the Los Angeles Chargers. Before that, the Cardinals’ remaining preseason games are at the Raiders on August 13, home against the Cowboys on August 22, and at the Packers on August 28. (azcardinals.com) (nfl.com) (profootballhof.com)