2018 Puppy Bowl XIV Wrap-Up

When the Eagles and the Patriots returned to their locker rooms last Sunday, another group of energetic, top-performing fan favorites came out to play. That’s when Animal Planet televised the fourteenth annual Puppy Bowl live, and the Fluffs faced the Ruffs once again for a shot at the coveted Lombarky trophy.

The festivities kicked off with a moving rendition of “America the Beautiful” played by a very talented chicken (no, seriously), and if the video is any evidence, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

This year’s game featured a total of 90 adoptable good boys and girls playing from 48 shelters around the U.S., and there were a couple of rescues from Puerto Rico who were in need of new homes following the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. There were even some kitten halftime cheerleaders on the scene to encourage the competition.

Team Ruff had a lot to prove this time around after their devastating 93 to 38 loss to the Fluffs last year, and they definitely showed up with their game faces on. The goal of the game is for a puppy to grab one of the toys on the field and drive it into the end zone for a score, and there was plenty of that going on between both teams.

But just like human football, there’s a referee there to make sure none of the players try to pull any funny business. Pups receive penalties for such actions as “unnecessary rrrufff-ness” when things get too heated on the field, or “paws interference” and “dog-collar tackles.” They also get docked for pottying mid-game, which seems to be one of the most common fouls with a whopping 300+ poop bags and 1,500 absorbent pads being used in a game.

But we can all forgive these good boys and girls for being a little ruff around the edges, especially since some of them are only a few weeks old.

Although this year’s game was much closer than 2017’s, Team Fluff was able to retain the title for a second year in a row, with the final results being a respectable 52 to 47. Undoubtedly, Fluff MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) Bear was a big part of the team’s victory, scoring two touchdowns with one drive spanning the length of the playing field.

Photo of Bear

But, if you’re a diehard Team Ruff fan or just a fan of dogs in general, there’s still plenty to celebrate. All 90 pups that participated in this year’s game found homes through adoption—which isn’t surprising to anyone who sat down to watch their impossibly cute antics on the field.

So, next year if you get tired of watching the same old bloated, boring halftime show during the big game, consider switching over to the kinder, cuddlier option. After all, you can never go wrong with a stadium full of beautiful, adoptable puppies.