NEW YORK, NY — The Puppy Bowl returns this Super Bowl Sunday, promising a larger and smaller spectacle than ever before. The annual showdown between Team Ruff and Team Fluff for the coveted "Lombarky" Trophy will feature a record-breaking 131 adorable dogs from 73 shelters and rescues, spanning 36 states and territories.
Despite the game's increased scale, it will also feature the smallest competitor in Puppy Bowl history, Sweetpea, weighing a mere 1.7 pounds. On the other end of the spectrum, Levi, a 72-pound Great Dane, claims the title of the largest pup. Notably, six puppies with special needs will participate, including four deaf dogs, a pug with cerebellar hypoplasia, and a two-legged Papillon.
Players with names echoing the Super Bowl matchup, such as Patrick Mabones, Bark Purdy, and Niner, will grace the field. Guy Furieri has even promised to take the team to "Flavortown" if they secure a victory.
In celebration of the Puppy Bowl's 20th anniversary, previous Puppy Bowl players will return to be inducted into the inaugural Puppy Bowl Hall of Fame. The game's referee, Dan Schachner, will make his 13th appearance, accompanied for the first time by a puppy assistant coach named Whistle.
To catch the 2024 Puppy Bowl:
- Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
- The Puppy Bowl pre-game show, featuring player backgrounds and coach interviews, starts at 1 p.m. Eastern on Animal Planet.
- Puppy Bowl XX kicks off at 2 p.m. Eastern and will be simulcast on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max, and Discovery+
Post a comment to this article here: