Puppy Bowl XVII - Highlights Of The Annual Puppy Bowl Matchup

Before the most awaited annual Super Bowl championship game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, comes another anticipated matchup between Team Ruff and Team Fluff. Who are the players include in these teams? Well, before we get into the details, let’s watch a highlight in this video.

What? There’s an annual Puppy Bowl?

Yes, adorable and cute rescue dogs showcase their talents in running around the field with the objective of bringing a few chewy pylon toys to the assigned touchdown for points! Puppy Bowl has been airing for the past 17 years and it featured adoptable pups to be involved in an intense game of rumble and fumble around the imitation football stadium while they represent the incredible shelters and rescues they’re originally from.

You and who? 👀 #PuppyBowl pic.twitter.com/fyc76ZWkbg
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 8, 2021

Similar to events of the Super Bowl, the show also featured a national anthem performance, a halftime show with kittens waiting to be adopted too, play-by-play commentary led by ESPN’s Steve Levy and SportCenter’s Sage Steele, and an official “rufferee” who was Dan Schachner. Another fan-favorite segment is the slow-motion replays. Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart were also present as this year’s hosts.

PUPPY BOWL 2021 MVP (MOST VALUABLE PUPPY)

Raise the woof! Congratulations to Marshall, your @BISSELLclean #PuppyBowl XVII MVP! #ad pic.twitter.com/4jSmwEPFFd
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 8, 2021

Marshall is a hearing-impaired Boston Terrier pup but that doesn’t stop him from being competitive as he woofed through the field for Team Fluff and scored a double touchdown in the first quarter to give an early lead against Team Ruff. Outside the arena, Marshall trains at Green Dogs Unleashed to become a therapy dog for those in need.

CHUNKY MONKEY – MPN (MOST VALUABLE NAPPER)

Chunky Monkey is a furever mood.😌

Stream #PuppyBowl on @discoveryplus now ➡️https://t.co/fpJ08WYDKn pic.twitter.com/aaeokpvWwl
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 9, 2021

If we all had a spirit animal during the pandemic, it would be Chunky Monkey (Chow chow/Maltese) who fell asleep during the intense game and was called for a foul. Come on ‘Ruf! But it’s alright, not all dogs are meant to have the same energy. Every viewer quickly fell in love with Chunky as he knows how to deal with stress… I guess.

TEAM RUFF EMERGED VICTORIOUS AFTER A LAST-MINUTE COMEBACK!

What a comeback! 😱 #PuppyBowl pic.twitter.com/PIqOHpZJwR
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 8, 2021

Big Boss Paulie (American Staffordshire Terrier and Dutch Shepherd mix) saved the day for his pup-mates and Team Ruff after sprinting for a touchdown as the clock ran out. Team Ruff defeated Team Fluff with the final score of 73-69. Kudos to Team Ruff!

Winner winner chicken dinner! 🏆
Congratulations to your #PuppyBowl XVII Champions, team Ruff! 🧡

And shout out to team Fluff for a great effort! 💙 pic.twitter.com/6g9I9JfaG1
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 8, 2021

There were so many highlights in Puppy Bowl XVII and these canine competitors gave their best to win and most importantly provide joy to their fellow companions and viewers. At the end of the day, all the pups found their forever homes with the stars of the show’s adoptive parents. We definitely cannot wait for next year’s Puppy Bowl! And congratulations to the Buccaneers for winning the Super Bowl LV!