According to The Guardian, King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, then scrambled five yards for the game-winner. Arizona's Carson Beck had a strong debut and briefly led late with a touchdown pass from backup Kedon Slovis, but Carolina's offense answered when it mattered.
Backup quarterback depth is insurance. King just forced Carolina's coaching staff and front office to treat him as more than a camp body. For the rest of the league, it's a reminder that draft pedigree doesn't guarantee anything. An undrafted rookie who can improvise under pressure has real value.
August preseason football sells hope in bulk and truth in tiny samples. This sample was small, but not meaningless. King showed the one trait that keeps fringe quarterbacks employed: when the play breaks down, he still has an answer. Teams spend all offseason praising systems and scheme. On the last snap, Carolina won because a rookie made something out of chaos from five yards out. That's the difference between a camp arm and a backup worth keeping.
Filed to the World desk · 4 days ago