Marquette, MI – August 6th, 2026 – After 179 days without NFL football, the league returns Thursday night as the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers meet in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, officially kicking off the 2026 NFL preseason.
While the game does not count toward the regular-season standings, it gives both teams an early opportunity to evaluate young players, newcomers and depth-chart battles.
Arizona enters the season looking to rebound from a 4-13 campaign in 2025, while new head coach Mike LaFleur prepares for his first game on the Cardinals’ sideline.
Carolina went 8-9 last season but won the NFC South and reached the playoffs before falling to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in the Wild Card Round.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock and streamed on NFL+ and Fubo.
A Tradition That Helped Launch the NFL Preseason
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game is one of the NFL’s oldest traditions. The inaugural game was played Aug. 11, 1962, as part of a fundraising campaign to help construct the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The game has been played in Canton nearly every year since and has served as the official kickoff to the NFL preseason since 1970.
More than six decades later, the tradition continues as Arizona and Carolina become the first teams to take the field in the 2026 preseason.
Five Legends Set to Enter the Hall of Fame
While the game marks the beginning of a new NFL season, Enshrinement Week will celebrate five legends of the sport.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be enshrined Aug. 8, with two inductees having direct ties to Thursday night’s matchup.
Larry Fitzgerald spent his entire career with the Cardinals and established himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. Luke Kuechly likewise spent his entire career with Carolina, becoming one of the league’s top linebackers.
They will be joined by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Kenny Pickett Set to Start for Carolina
The Panthers will turn to Kenny Pickett at quarterback Thursday night, with Bryce Young sitting out.
Pickett, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, spent his first two seasons as Pittsburgh’s primary starter and went 14-10 during that stretch.
The Steelers eventually traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he served as a backup to Jalen Hurts in 2024. Pickett appeared in five games and was part of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning team.
Now, Pickett gets another opportunity to make an impression as he competes for a role in Carolina’s quarterback room.
Cardinals Fans Will Have to Wait for Jeremiah Love
Jeremiah Love’s NFL debut will have to wait. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft will not play Thursday night, delaying his first appearance in a Cardinals uniform.
Love enters the NFL with high expectations after a standout Notre Dame career. He finished with 2,882 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns, along with 594 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.
Although Love won’t take the field, Arizona will still have plenty of young talent to evaluate during the preseason opener.
Carson Beck Gets His First NFL Opportunity
While Cardinals fans wait for Love, they will get their first look at another highly touted 2026 draft pick: quarterback Carson Beck.
Arizona selected Beck in the third round with the 65th overall pick after he finished his college career at Miami. Beck spent his first five seasons at Georgia before transferring to Miami, where he helped lead the Hurricanes to the national championship game.
Across six college seasons, Beck threw for 11,725 yards and 88 touchdowns while completing 69.5% of his passes.
The rookie will compete with veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew throughout training camp. Thursday’s game will not determine Arizona’s Week 1 starter, but it gives Beck his first opportunity to show what he can do against NFL competition.
The NFL Season Starts Now
The Hall of Fame Game may not count in the standings, but it provides the first meaningful opportunity for rookies, young players and veterans fighting for roster spots to make an impression.
For Arizona and Carolina, the game begins the evaluation process that will continue throughout the preseason.
