Puppy Bowl XXI to Feature 142 Rescue Puppies, Including Mr. Pickles, Julep, and Smoosh

The Animal Planet Puppy Bowl break during the Discovery, Inc. TCA Winter Panel in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 16, 2020. Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.

Animal Planet is raising awareness for shelter animal adoptions with its annual Puppy Bowl, a canine take on the Super Bowl that pits rescue pups against each other and a pile of chew toys.

During the three-hour event, slated to air on Super Bowl Sunday, 142 puppies from 80 rescue shelters will compete paw-to-paw on a miniature football field to win the “Lombarky” trophy.

“With more puppies than ever before, Puppy Bowl XXI will highlight their inspiring journeys from birth to adoption, as well as the tremendous dedication of the rescues and shelters that help find animals their forever homes,” reads a press release issued on Jan. 10 by Animal Planet’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

The starting lineup for Team Fluff will include Julep, the Puppy Bowl’s first-ever St. Bernard mix, and Smoosh, a Pekingese, a toy dog breed originating in China.

Mr. Pickles, a Pug Chihuahua mix from Dallas, Texas, and Tuani, a Chihuahua-German Shepherd from Nicaragua, will lead Team Ruff on the opposite side of the field.

Sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks will give play-by-play commentary during the game. Dan Schachner will also return as the official referee for the Puppy Bowl, a role he has held for more than a decade.

“Who’s ready for Puppy Bowl XXI?” Schachner shared via Instagram on Friday.

“Ahead of the big game, you can vote for your favorite Starting Lineup player,” he added. “Meet the players and select your picks at the link in my bio!”

Animal Planet’s 21st Puppy Bowl will also feature 11 special needs dogs, including an American Pit Bull Terrier mix named Jolene, who will compete in a wheelchair. Sprinkle, an Australian Shepherd mix who is blind and hearing-impaired, will also battle it out on the gridiron.

“Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl serves as an annual pop culture programming event that continues to expand in reach, awareness and of course, puppies, every year,” Howard Lee, president of Discovery Networks, said in a statement.

“Win or lose, Puppy Bowl XXI will have the cutest players in the game ... and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”

The canine event will air on Feb. 9 on Animal Planet and some of its sister networks, including Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max, and Discovery+.

Puppy Bowl XXI

According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the Puppy Bowl will feature special “Adoptables” segments showcasing various puppies and kittens that are available for adoption.

Puppy Bowl XXI will also feature “Pup Close and Personal” segments that chronicle the backstories of some of this year’s players, one of which will highlight SOS Animales Nicaragua, an animal rescue in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Viewers will be able to learn more about Tuani—whose pregnant mother was rescued before giving birth to him in the shelter—and his journey from Central America to his new home in the United States.

In another segment, Derrick Nnadi, a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, visits The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City with his girlfriend, Nani, to meet Parsnip, a Pit Bull mix who is set to compete in the upcoming big game.

The 28-year-old founded the Derrick Nnadi Foundation in 2020 to help people and animals in need around his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and the Kansas City area.

Since launching the non-profit, Nnadi has sponsored the adoption of more than 500 rescue dogs, many of which were at risk of being euthanized, per ESPN.

Viewers will also go behind the scenes of a Dan + Shay concert, where Abby Smyers, the wife of country singer-songwriter Dan Smyers, will bring a rescue puppy from the Wags & Walks Nashville pet adoption center backstage to spotlight the organization and promote pet adoptions.