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By Natalie Venegas
Weekend Reporter
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Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XXI ended on Sunday as Team Fluff took home the win with 68-66 over Team Ruff, subsequently ending one of the fluffiest competitions of the year.
Why It Matters
Over the years, Super Bowl Sunday has become more than just football, it's a time when Americans gather around to eat, drink, judge TV commercials and halftime musical performances, and of course, watch the most adorable puppies play their own version of the big game with squeaky toys rather than pigskin.
Read More on News
The Puppy Bowl is not just for the puppies' enjoyment and viewers' entertainment but also promotes pet adoption by featuring rescue dogs.
What To Know
Puppy Bowl XXI kicked off Sunday afternoon with 142 rescue pup athletes from 80 shelters across 40 states, and even two countries as Team Ruff and Team Fluff competed for the coveted Lombarky Trophy in what Warner Bros. Discovery calls the "cutest competition of the year."
Playful energy was in high gear as Foxtrot, a cheerful Border Collie mix from Pet Haven in Minneapolis, scored the first score of the game for Team Ruff, later scoring the second touchdown. Scoring early on in the game earned Foxtrot a spot as a MVP contender.
However, Team Fluff was not going to let Foxtrot go down without a fight as Paws Allen, a Labrador retriever mix from Buddy's Second Chance Rescue in Buffalo, New York, who is a tug-of-war champ, helped his team score in the first quarter.
Taking Team Fluff to the next level was Charlotte, a beloved American Cocker Spaniel from Humane Society of Missouri in St. Louis, as she made a historic first. According to Animal Planet, Charlotte made a touchdown and a field goal at the same time with only 15 seconds left in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, Team Ruff held an eight-point lead with 14 to 6. Making sure all the pups had time to recharge, the halftime show began as it featured playful kittens having a good time, New Orleans style.
At the end of the third quarter, Team Fluff led the game with 54 with Team Ruff trailing behind with 42. Team Fluff's lead came after Abigail, a Labrador retriever mix from Operation Paws for Homes in Alexandria, Virginia, scored a touchdown leading her to become a contender for MVP.
But the real action came at the end of the fourth quarter with 30 seconds left, Team Ruff was up with 66 points after Enrique, a miniature pinscher mix from The Sato Project in New York City, made a field goal.
However, Paws Allen from Team Fluff came back in the last 10 seconds of the game and scored the game's final touchdown winning 68-66.
According to the New York Post, officials have only been tracking scores for the last six years, meaning Team Fluff has a record of 4-4 against Team Ruff.
While Team Fluff was excited to win the Lombarky Trophy, the Puppy Bowl's main purpose is to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of all dogs from shelters and rescues. According to Animal Planet, many of the dogs in this year's game have already been adopted.
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Who Played in the Puppy Bowl This year?
This year's Puppy Bowl marked the largest group of participating dogs in the event's 21-year history. Here are the starting 16 pups that competed in the Pupularity Playoffs:
Team Ruff
- Trio: a Boston Terrier from Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue. He might have a leg deformity, but he is one mighty pup.
- Maxx: a Doberman Pinscher from the Nevada SPCA in Las Vegas. As Discovery puts it, "Even with just three legs, he runs circles around the competition."
- Foxtrot: a cheerful Border Collie mix from Pet Haven in Minneapolis who is always down for a good time.
- Mr. Pickles: a feisty Pug mix from Dallas Dog in Texas.
- Enrique: a miniature pinscher mix from The Sato Project in New York City. Watch out because Discovery says Enrique "is here to show you that the water bowl breaks can be just as wild and exciting as the gameplay on the field!"
- Demure: an energetic Cairn Terrier from Green Dogs Unleashed in Troy, Virginia. This pup "is always looking to make new friends. As long as they're very cutesy and very mindful, of course," Discovery says.
- Beethoven: a curious Great Pyrenees mix from Best Friends Animal Society in New York City.
Team Fluff
- Abigail: a Labrador retriever mix from Operation Paws for Homes in Alexandria, Virginia, who brings the zoomies to the big game.
- Smoosh: the first Pekingese to take the Puppy Bowl field. She is from the Florida Little Dog Rescue in Saint Cloud.
- Paws Allen: a Labrador Retriever mix from Buddy's Second Chance Rescue in Buffalo, New York, who is a tug-of-war champ.
- Kiki: a Chihuahua mix from Florida Little Dog Rescue who is a great team player...when she's not napping.
- Charlotte: a beloved American Cocker Spaniel from Humane Society of Missouri in St. Louis. She's a team player like Kiki.
- Carl: a calm Bulldog mix from Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue in New York City. As Discovery put it, "He may be blind, but that doesn't stop Carl from keeping his eyes on the prize!"
- Alice: a Chihuahua mix from Florida Little Dog Rescue. She may start out shy but once she gets going on the field, nothing can stop her.
- Whoopie: a Great Pyrenees mix from Wags & Walks in Nashville, Tennessee. She is the kindest pup and ready to cheer on her team.
What People Are Saying
Animal Planet wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday after the game: "There's nothing better than seeing these sweet pups find their forever homes."
It added in another X post:"Give it up for Foxtrot, the MVP of #PuppyBowl XXI His determination and skill led to epic moments on the field!"
What Happens Next
Now that the fluffiest competition has ended, football fans can tune into the Super Bowl which will start at 6:30 p.m. ET. Sunday in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
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