The Carolina Panthers open the preseason Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
The game kicks off at 8 p.m. on WRAL-TV and NBC.
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Former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The Panthers are coming off their first playoff appearance in seven years and are looking to return to the form they showed during the Kuechly era. Kuechly led the NFL with 1,092 tackles during his career from 2012 to 2019. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
The matchup begins a weekend that will offer the Panthers a glimpse of their future, present and past. Carolina will give its younger players valuable game experience, evaluate candidates for roster spots and honor one of the most accomplished players in franchise history.
“Not only did he make our defense better, but he made our offense better, our special teams better,” former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said of Kuechly. “He made our whole team better, and that, I think, is one of the qualities that you have to have.”
On Friday, WRAL will air a Hall of Fame special, “Carolina to Canton,” hosted by Pat Welter and Chris Lea at 7:30 p.m. The special will feature an in-depth look at Kuechly’s impact on the Panthers and the NFL, along with analysis of this year’s team. It also will include interviews with Rivera, Sara White, the wife of Hall of Famer Reggie White, and others who can speak to Kuechly’s impact and the significance of his induction.
The defense appears much improved following the offseason additions of Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd. How far the Panthers go, however, ultimately will depend on quarterback Bryce Young.
It is a pivotal season for Young, who is entering his fourth year since being selected No. 1 overall. The team has picked up his fifth-year option but has indicated it will wait until after the season to decide on a possible contract extension.
Panthers coach Dave Canales said no starters, including Young, will play in the preseason opener. First-round pick Monroe Freeling, who is expected to start games this season because of injuries along the offensive line, also will not play Thursday night.
Lea, co-host of “Panthers Playbook,” and Welter will be live in Canton for Thursday’s game and Saturday’s induction ceremony. You can follow Welter and Lea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes coverage from Canton.
Kuechly follows Julius Peppers, who was inducted in 2024, as the latest longtime Panthers star to earn a gold jacket.
Former Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri and former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig also will be inducted alongside Kuechly.
Pickett to start under center in Hall of Fame game
Veteran quarterback Kenny Pickett, a 2022 first-round draft pick, will start for Carolina. Pickett is with his fifth NFL organization after stops in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Las Vegas. Undrafted rookie Haynes King, who played at Georgia Tech, is expected to take over in the second half.
Pickett signed a one-year deal during the offseason and is expected to serve as Young’s backup.
The injury-plagued Panthers already have lost linebacker Nic Scourton and rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, who suffered knee injuries during the opening days of training camp.
This will be the Panthers’ first appearance in the Hall of Fame Game since 1995, when they faced fellow expansion franchise Jacksonville before their inaugural seasons. The game gives Carolina an additional preseason matchup.
The Panthers also will play at Buffalo on Aug. 15, at Jacksonville on Aug. 21 and at home against Houston on Aug. 28.
The Chicago Bears visit Bank of America Stadium for the regular-season opener on Sept. 13.