This year's Thursday night matchup features the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals. While the Cardinals are making their sixth Hall of Fame Game appearance and own a 1-3-1 record in the event, the Panthers are about to make their first-ever appearance since the franchise joined the league in 1995 as an expansion franchise.
Carolina will battle for its premier victory in a contest wrapped in festivities celebrating the 2026 Hall of Fame class.
Although the game won't feature many starters or established stars, there is still plenty to be excited about. For teams, it marks the first opportunity to evaluate lineups, test new plays, and experiment with strategies.
For fans, it's an eagerly anticipated, charming first look at their teams, offering an early glimpse of promising rookies and players competing to earn roster spots.
Panthers vs. Cardinals preview
The season hasn’t officially started yet, but the Panthers are already being tested after winning the NFC South title last season with an 8-9 record. What started as an optimistic training camp has quickly turned into a nightmare.
Second-year edge rusher Nic Scourton will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL, while standout rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell suffered a torn LCL. Veteran offensive tackle Taylor Moton remains sidelined with blood clots, and defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton is recovering from neck surgery.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett was named the starter for the Panthers over rookie Haynes King. Head coach Dave Canales stated that "no clear-cut starters" are expected to play in this game. Pickett is expected to play the first few drives until King takes over the rest of the way.
With several key contributors unavailable, Carolina will have to rely on its depth and evaluate new options to fill the void.
Wide receiver Ja'Seem Reed, who has been having a great camp, has a chance to impress in the primetime preseason lights for a spot on the final roster with Brazzell out, as does linebacker Jackson Kuwatch, who will get opportunities to show if he's a viable backup linebacker or a special teamer.
On the other side, the Arizona Cardinals, coming off an abysmal 3-14 season, are beginning a new era under head coach Mike LaFleur. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is expected to open the season as the starting quarterback, but the organization has its sights set on the future.
Arizona selected quarterback Carson Beck out of Miami in this year's draft, and the rookie is set to make his first preseason start on Thursday night.
Can he make an early statement and begin his push toward becoming the Cardinals' quarterback of the future?
LaFluer stated that rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will not be playing in the Hall of Fame game, along with other notable starters such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, Budda Baker, Michael Wilson, Jacoby Brissett, and Will Johnson.
Others sidelined for the Cardinals include Paris Johnson Jr., Walter Nolen III, Zaven Collins, Cody Simon, and Darius Robinson.
Backup QB Gardner Minshew III will also sit for the game.
Hall of Fame info and inductees
To receive an invitation to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, players and coaches must be retired for at least five years before becoming eligible for consideration. A selection committee reviews the list of eligible candidates and narrows it down to 15 finalists. From there, three to five candidates are typically elected each year, provided they receive at least 80% of the committee's vote.
The bar is high – it’s not purely about the football resume. Voters also consider on-and-off the field leadership, contributions to the community, sustained excellence throughout a career, and a lasting impact on the game. Even some of football's biggest names don't get in on their first attempt. Bill Belichick, one of the most decorated coaches in history and a six-time Super Bowl winner, was a finalist this year but didn’t make the cut.
Now, let’s introduce the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Drew Brees
Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2001, Drew Brees spent five seasons in California before joining the New Orleans Saints, where he became a franchise icon. Over the next 15 years, he established himself as one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks. A 13-time Pro Bowler, Brees led the Saints to their first Super Bowl title during the 2009 season, earning Super Bowl MVP honors in their victory at Super Bowl XLIV.
His impact extended far beyond football. Arriving in New Orleans just months after Hurricane Katrina, Brees quickly won over the city and became a symbol of hope and resilience as the community recovered from one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history.
With 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdowns, Brees ranks second all-time in both categories, only behind Tom Brady. When he retired, he had a completion percentage of 67.7%, an NFL record at the time. He was voted an Offensive Player of the Year twice and threw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season five times - a feat that nobody else has ever accomplished, not even Brady.
Standing exactly 6 feet tall, Brees faced doubts from NFL scouts, with many questioning whether he had the size to succeed at the professional level. Those concerns caused him to slip into the second round of the draft. A quarter-century later, Brees is universally regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald spent his entire 17-year-long career with the Arizona Cardinals, so the celebration of his induction will start with watching his team. An 11-time Pro Bowler, the wide receiver led the NFL in receptions twice and earned a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. His career is defined by sustained excellence. In 2016, he was awarded the Walter Payton Man of the Year crown for exceptional leadership and civic involvement off the field.
He led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance during the 2008 season. In the postseason, he tallied 30 receptions, 546 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in just four contests - one of the greatest playoff performances the league has ever seen. All three marks were an NFL record at the time, and the touchdowns and yards still stand today. Fitzgerald ranks second all-time in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492), surpassed only by Jerry Rice.
Luke Kuechly
Kuechly spent his entire career with the Carolina Panthers as their star inside linebacker, joining Fitzgerald as the second inductee of this class as both get to watch and support their teams play in the annual Hall of Fame Game. Despite playing for just eight seasons, Kuechly became the gold standard of defense and linebacking and boasts an incredible resume.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Kuechly earned the honor in every season except his rookie year. Even then, he made an immediate impact, leading the NFL with 164 tackles and earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Just one year later, he became one of the rare players to win Defensive Player of the Year in only his second season. Kuechly was also a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection and helped lead Carolina to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance during the 2015 season.
Kuechly retired in 2020 at 28 years old due to concussion issues. His announcement created a wave of emotions that rocked the NFL, as Kuechly wasn’t known just for his defensive skills, but also as a great teammate, servant-leader, and role model. He became famous for the obsessive preparation style that allowed him to play without hesitation. Kuechly spent hours watching film and going over plays.
“There's only one way to play this game since I was a little kid - play fast, play physical and play strong,” Kuechly said. “And at this point I don't know if I am able to do that anymore. That's the part that is the most difficult. I still want to play, but I don't think it's the right decision. I thought about it for a long time. Now is an opportunity to step away with what's going on here.”
Adam Vinatieri
Vinatieri began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, where he quickly established himself as a clutch kicker who has the ability to decide games. In Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII, Vinatieri drilled game-winning field goals as time expired that gave the Patriots their two Super Bowl victories.
In 2006, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts and stayed with the franchise until he retired in 2019. During his premier year in Indiana, he played a pivotal role in the Colts’ run that ended with a Super Bowl. Vinatieri made five field goals in a 15-6 Divisional Round win over the Baltimore Ravens.
He boasts a kicking career percentage of 83.8%. He still holds the record for most field goals made with 599, as well as attempted with 715. In the postseason, he was 56-for-69. Vinatieri scored more career field goals than anybody else in NFL history.
Roger Craig
Roger Craig revolutionized the running back position. He became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and record 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1985. That same year, he led the NFL with 92 receptions, showcasing a level of versatility that helped redefine the position. In 1988, Craig was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,502 yards.
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1983, Craig became a cornerstone of one of the NFL's greatest dynasties. He helped the 49ers win three Super Bowls and earned four Pro Bowl selections during a career that produced 8,189 rushing yards, 4,911 receiving yards, and 73 total touchdowns. He was a Hall of Fame finalist many times before finally making the cut in 2026.
His induction is a reflection of not only his football achievements, but the forever-changing imprint he left by transforming the game of running backs. He proved that the position can be used in various ways and isn’t one-dimensional.
National Football League
NFL training camps are underway as the clock ticks down to the preseason!