CANTON, OH — For football fans, a trip to Canton during Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend is about much more than one preseason game.

It is a celebration of the game itself.

Fans wearing jerseys representing teams from across the NFL filled the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus Thursday, taking in the museum, meeting football legends and participating in activities before eventually making their way into Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Then the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals gave them a finish to remember.

Undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King #10 scored on a 5-yard scramble as time expired, lifting Carolina to a dramatic 33-30 victory over Arizona in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

The game officially opened the NFL preseason, but in Canton it was only one piece of what the Hall calls “Football’s Greatest Weekend.”

Canton Becomes the Center of the Football World

For several days each summer, the area surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame becomes a gathering place for generations of football fans.

This year’s festivities run Aug. 5-9 and are built around the Class of 2026 — Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri.

Fans have opportunities throughout the weekend to encounter some of the game’s greatest players while celebrating their own connections to their favorite teams.

One of the centerpieces is the free Sugardale Fan Fest ’26 on the Hall of Fame campus. The event features live music, football activities, food, drinks and other entertainment, essentially creating a large football tailgate surrounding the Hall of Fame.

On Thursday, Fan Fest ran from noon until 8 p.m., allowing fans to spend much of the day on the Hall of Fame grounds before walking into the stadium for the Panthers-Cardinals game.

For fans interested in the history of the game, the Hall of Fame Museum remains at the center of the experience.

Visitors can walk through generations of professional football history, see memorabilia from legendary players and view the Hall’s Class of 2026 exhibit. The special exhibit includes artifacts connected to all five members of this year’s class, including game-worn equipment and other items documenting their journeys to Canton.

There are also opportunities to get closer to the players themselves.

Four members of the Class of 2026 — Brees, Fitzgerald, Kuechly and Vinatieri — participated in a Thursday morning autograph session. Roger Craig, the fifth member of the class, provided a pre-signed photograph for the event.

That interaction between generations of players and fans is part of what separates Hall of Fame weekend from a typical NFL game.

Panthers and Cardinals Take the Field

By Thursday evening, attention shifted from football history to the field.

Arizona took a 30-27 lead with 1:55 remaining when quarterback Kedon Slovis #17 connected with Bryson Green #80 for a 1-yard touchdown.

That left King and the Panthers with one final opportunity.

Carolina responded with a 13-play, 65-yard drive. With the clock nearly gone, King escaped the pocket and scrambled five yards into the end zone, giving Carolina the 33-30 victory as time expired.

King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 yards on the ground.

Kenny Pickett #7 started at quarterback for Carolina and completed 8 of 11 passes for 62 yards. Starting quarterback Bryce Young #9 did not play.

Arizona also used the exhibition to evaluate its quarterback depth. Carson Beck #3 completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, while Slovis finished 9 of 10 for 106 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Brooks #81 led the Cardinals with three catches for 99 yards.

The teams entered halftime tied 17-17 before Arizona moved ahead 20-17 in the third quarter. Carolina responded with 16 points in the fourth, capped by King’s game-winning run.

Five Careers, Five Places in Canton

The weekend ultimately belongs to the five men who will officially join football’s most exclusive fraternity Saturday.

Drew Brees enters the Hall following a 20-year NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. A 13-time Pro Bowl selection, Brees helped transform the Saints franchise and led New Orleans to its first Super Bowl championship.

Larry Fitzgerald spent his entire NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals from 2004 through 2020. One of the most accomplished receivers in league history, Fitzgerald became the face of the Cardinals franchise and helped lead Arizona to Super Bowl XLIII.

Luke Kuechly packed a remarkable career into eight seasons with the Panthers. The linebacker was the 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a five-time first-team All-Pro. He was also a centerpiece of Carolina’s 15-1 NFC championship team in 2015.

Adam Vinatieri built his legacy during 24 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. His postseason kicks became some of the defining moments of the Patriots’ early championship era, while his longevity established him among the greatest kickers in NFL history.

Roger Craig, selected through the Hall’s Seniors category, receives his place in Canton after a career highlighted by three Super Bowl championships with the San Francisco 49ers. Craig became one of the NFL’s early prototypes for today’s dual-threat running back, capable of changing a game as both a runner and receiver.

For Fitzgerald and Kuechly, Thursday’s matchup provided an especially appropriate beginning to their Hall of Fame weekend. The only NFL franchises they represented — Arizona and Carolina — met on the field as their former stars prepared for enshrinement.

A Weekend Built Around the Fans

The Hall of Fame Game may start the football portion of the weekend, but the fan experience continues well after the final whistle.

Friday includes the Hall of Famer Walk and the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner, where members of the Class of 2026 receive one of the most recognizable symbols of football immortality.

Saturday begins with the Grand Parade through downtown Canton, featuring the new enshrinees, returning Hall of Famers, floats, balloons and marching bands.

Then comes the weekend’s centerpiece.

Brees, Craig, Fitzgerald, Kuechly and Vinatieri will officially be enshrined Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, bringing the Hall’s membership to 387.

Fan Fest continues throughout the weekend before festivities conclude Sunday night with the Concert for Legends featuring Lainey Wilson and Braxton Keith.

It creates an experience unlike a normal NFL weekend.

Fans can spend the morning walking through football history, encounter Hall of Famers during the afternoon, attend activities outside the stadium and then watch NFL football at night — all within the same Hall of Fame campus.

For many making the trip to Canton, that is the attraction.

The Panthers’ 33-30 victory will be remembered as the first NFL game of the 2026 preseason.

But Hall of Fame weekend is about considerably more than the final score.

It is where fans, current players and football legends come together to celebrate where the game has been — and where another NFL season is about to go.