Who made the Team Fluff starting lineup for Puppy Bowl XVI?
As part of our coverage of Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XVI (Puppy Bowl 16), we here at Dog O’Day have the complete Pedigree Team Fluff starting lineup ready to go for your reading pleasure, which should also double as a kind of cheat sheet for knowing who’s on the field at GEICO Stadium come game day (3 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 2).
All of the puppies competing in this year’s game have already been adopted, but their littermates and many other deserving doggos also need loving homes. Please consider adopting from your local shelter if possible, or donating supplies or food. They would really appreciate it.
The Puppy Bowl, which started in 2005, went to a team format starting with Puppy Bowl XI, and since then the Fluffers have done pretty well, winning three in a row from 2016 to 2018. (They led much of Puppy Bowl XV last year, but were ultimately pupset 59-51.)
In the actual Super Bowl this year, the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami in Super Bowl LIV (Super Bowl 54), which will kick off at 6:40 on Fox.
With that out of the way, let’s meet the Team Fluff starting lineup, who will be rocking their new team color of Bark Blue on their bandannas this year.
Who made the Team Fluff starting lineup?
From Last Chance Animal Rescue in Waldorf, Maryland; an Australian Cattle Dog/Labrador Retriever mix – ANISE!
Anise will be ready to find the end zone as she tracks down passes as one of her team’s best receiving retrievers.
From Rescue Dogs Rock in New York City, New York; a Great Pyrenees/Weimaraner mix – BERT!
With his Great Pyrenees heritage, Bert’s probably going to protect his quarterback on the line. If his size doesn’t do the trick, his Maximum Scary Bark might do (plus it can also double as an Encouraging Cheer for his teammates).
From the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California; a Miniature Poodle/Lhasa Apso mix – BOBBY!
Bobby’s hoping his glossy curls will earn him all the doggy shampoo sponsorship deals like the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ legendary safety Troy Pawlamalu.
From the Morris Animal Refuge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; a Boxer/Coonhound mix – COACH!
Coach is all set to follow in the pawsteps of his hero, the player/coach role that Dog served in the picture books of Leonard Kessler. He also appreciates that Coach Eric Taylor moved to Philadelphia area at the end of Friday Night Lights. Clear eyes, full heart and food bowl, can’t lose.
From Ninna’s Road to Rescue in Benton, Louisiana; a Chihuahua/Maltese mix – DARCY!
As her LSU Tigers showed the college football world how to play the game this season, Darcy is out to prove that the Deep South is known for more than hurricanes and crawfish.
From Hearts and Bones Animal Rescue Group in New York City, New York; a German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever/ mix – DOLLY!
From the Animal Rescue League of Greater Portland in Westbrook, Maine; a Collie – DUNCAN!
Duncan was a little camera shy, so his picture was not available for press outlets.
From Paws Crossed Animal Rescue in Elmsford, New York; a Catahoula/American Staffordshire Terrier mix – GRANNY SMITH!
Despite her name, Granny Smith is a spry and agile pup who will be ready to take on anyone from her linebacker position.
From Green Dogs Unleashed in Troy, Virginia; a Great Dane – KILLIAN!
Hoping to eventually become a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live, Killian is always keeping the mood light and breaking the tension for his teammates with a clever observation or new joke.
The Team Fluff starting lineup has some strong players again this year.
From the Providence Animal Center in Pennsylvania, an American Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer mix – KINGERY!
Kingery is hoping to show everypawdy that he’s the ruler of the football field this season.
From Toronto, Ontario, Canada, by way of the Texas Chihuahua Rescue in San Antonio, Texas; a Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher mix – LUCCA!
Lucca is a football-loving Canadian who is looking to go into home renovations like Antonio Ballatore or the Property Brothers when his career is over.
From Shaggy Dog Rescue in Houston, Texas; a Border Collie/Labrador Retriever mix – PAPAYA!
With the speed of Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and the agility of the many American Ninja Warrior competitors who live in the area, Papaya is already an All-Star.
From Rescue City in Brooklyn, New York City, New York; a German Shepherd/Samoyed mix – ROCKY ROAD!
Rocky Road wants to be just like fellow Brooklyn native Captain Ameripaw when he grows up.
From Sanctuary Rescue in Midlothian, Virginia, an American Staffordshire Terrier/Bulldog mix – ROOSTER!
No Easy Street for this Rooster! Some have said he could be the next canine version of Jerome Bettis with his low-slung bowling ball style of rushing. He also excels at blocking from the fullback spot.
From Cruzan Cowgirls in St Croix, the US Virgin Islands; a Boston Terrier/Chihuahua mix – RUMMY!
Rummy brings some Caribbean flair to the game, and is almost sure to be a fan favorite.
From Paws Connecticut in Norwalk, Connecticut; an American Staffordshire Terrier/Bulldog mix – SADIE!
Sadie isn’t totally sure she understands all the intricacies of football down just yet, but she’s going to try her best and hopes everypawdy has a good time.
From Cartagena Paws in Cartagena, Columbia, a Border Collie/Chihuahua mix – SOL!
Shh – Sol is reported to be the Secret Weapon for Team Fluff this year. Just watch out for the Pablo Sanchez of the Puppy Bowl once the game kicks off.
From the Jersey Girls Animal Rescue in South Plainfield, New Jersey; a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix – SPRITZ!
Spritz has a nose for the ball and can camouflage herself into the crowd for sneak attacks and forcing fumbles.
From AHeinz57 Pet Rescue in De Soto, Iowa; a Siberian Husky/Pomeranian mix – THEODORE!
Theodore brings the floof to Team Fluff, and his determination and tenacity could be just the thing the squad needs to bring home the win.
From Paw Works in Thousand Oaks, California; a Miniature Poodle/Shih Tzu mix – WILBUR!
Wilbur has what could be the most beautiful name in the whole wide world (if you surveyed eight-year-old girls named Fern), and he looks to be “Some Dog” during the big game. Also, his hometown of Thousand Oaks has been used as the home of training camp for NFL teams for decades, so that might play to his advantage.
That concludes our look at the Team Fluff starting lineup! Do you think they have what it takes to claim the Lombarky Trophy?
Again, Puppy Bowl XVI gets underway at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 2, on Animal Planet.