NFL's Hall of Fame Game draws biggest audience since 2021

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Rowan Fisher-Shotton

By Rowan Fisher-Shotton

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The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers faced off in the annual Hall of Fame Game last Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

With Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald and former Panthers star Luke Kuechly both entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it made sense to pit the two franchises against each other.

But even with Fitzgerald and Kuechly among the most recognizable names heading into the Hall, neither the Cardinals nor the Panthers finished above .500 last season. Arizona posted a 3-14 record, tied for the worst mark in the NFL, while Carolina barely snuck into the playoffs at 8-9 — the best mark in the NFC South, but the lowest win total of any playoff team.

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Despite neither team being viewed as anywhere close to a Super Bowl favorite in 2026, their Hall of Fame Game clash drew the biggest audience in five years.

According to Sports Media Watch, the Panthers-Cardinals matchup averaged 6.99 million viewers on NBC — a 1% increase over last year's game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, two of the league's better teams, and the most-watched Hall of Fame Game since the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, two of football's biggest brands, faced off in 2021 on Fox. It was also NBC's most-watched Hall of Fame Game since 2017, when the Cowboys played the Cardinals.

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Carson Beck of the Arizona Cardinals.

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The turnout wasn't exactly a testament to star power on either roster. Most starters sat out, meaning fans were largely watching second- and third-string players compete for roster spots. It might make more sense if players like Jeremiyah Love or Bryce Young were on the field — but instead, undrafted Panthers rookie Haynes King and Cardinals third-round pick Carson Beck were the standouts of the night.

That disconnect says less about this particular matchup and more about the appetite for football in general. With just one month left before Week 1, the strong turnout is an early sign that the NFL could be in for a record-setting 2026 season.