Carson Beck’s Preseason Debut Draws a Matthew Stafford Comparison From Chase Daniel

Carson Beck’s first NFL action came with a lot of attention attached — the Hall of Fame Game always draws eyes — and the Cardinals rookie made the most of it. His performance was strong enough that former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel came away comparing him to Matthew Stafford.

Daniel posted on X on August 10: “Carson Beck looking like a young Matthew Stafford….the dude looks incredible comfortable. And just so you know… this is very difficult to do.” Daniel played 13 NFL seasons, mostly as a backup, and was in attendance for the game.

What Beck actually did on the field

Beck went 15-of-19 for 188 yards and a touchdown across five non-kneel-down drives in Arizona’s 33-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers on August 6 in Canton, Ohio, according to ESPN. That’s a 125.4 passer rating in his only extended look of the preseason so far. He led back-to-back touchdown drives in the second quarter, connected on a 49-yard shot down the sideline, and closed his first series in the end zone with a back-shoulder fade.

Daniel wasn’t the only former player impressed. Cardinals Hall of Fame receiver Kurt Warner broke down the performance on Arizona Sports radio afterward, praising how comfortable Beck looked in the pocket and how he avoided trying to do too much. Yahoo Sports reported that Warner specifically liked how Beck threw the ball without trying to overpower anything, taking what the defense gave him rather than forcing plays.

The number he chose not to wear

There’s a smaller story behind Beck’s jersey that says something about how he’s approached his transition to Arizona. He wore No. 11 for all six of his college seasons, first at Georgia and then at Miami. When the Cardinals drafted him, he knew that number belonged to someone else in Arizona.

Larry Fitzgerald wore No. 11 for his entire 17-year Hall of Fame career with the Cardinals. Beck told reporters he figured the number would be retired soon and chose not to take it, opting for No. 19 instead. That instinct turned out to be accurate — the Cardinals officially announced Fitzgerald’s number retirement this week, with a ceremony set for Oct. 25 during a game against Denver.

A crowded quarterback room, for now

None of this guarantees Beck a starting job in Week 1. He’s competing in a room that includes Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, and Kedon Slovis, with Brissett entering the summer as the presumed starter after taking over Arizona’s offense last season. Brissett went 1-11 as Arizona’s starter in 2025, a number that puts real pressure on the position regardless of what the depth chart says on paper.

Beck’s college résumé supports the hype that followed his debut. After five seasons at Georgia, mostly as a backup behind two-time national champion Stetson Bennett, he transferred to Miami for his final year of eligibility and started all 16 games. He completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, leading the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Miami lost that game 27-21 to Indiana, with Beck throwing a late, game-sealing interception on what turned out to be the final pass of his college career.

Arizona drafted Beck in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, betting that a five-year Georgia apprenticeship plus a high-stakes final season at Miami had prepared him for exactly this kind of proving-ground moment. One strong preseason half doesn’t settle a quarterback competition. But it’s the first data point, and it’s a promising one for a franchise trying to climb out of a 3-14 season and end a 10-year NFC West title drought.

Arizona opens the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, September 13, at 4:25 p.m. ET.