The 2024 Puppy Bowl Lineup Features Record-Setting Adorable — and Adoptable — Dogs

The 20th iteration of the Puppy Bowl will feature lineups of adorable and heartwarmingly playful (and adoptable!) shelter dogs. You'll have no choice but to tune in with your companion rescue dog and make it the centerpiece of your Sunday on Feb. 11, 2024. What, will there be anything else on television that day?

The "adopt, don't shop" undertone of the game, which has been held since 2005, has led to countless inspiring tales of puppy players being adopted and finding their happily ever after. Whether or not you've joined us previously as we previewed past Puppy Bowl participants, keep reading to learn more about why the 2024 event promises to be the most exciting yet, and for a look at the lineup.

Every year, the Puppy Bowl features several dozen adoptable and adopted dogs, each with stories of the hurdles they've overcome as they joyously move about the field with seemingly boundless energy. This year promises to be no different in the largest-ever group in Puppy Bowl history, though some contestants seek to etch their names further in the history books.

Per the Puppy Bowl lineup page on Discovery.com, this year will feature both the all-time smallest participant and the all-time largest player, though they likely will take the field at different times, along with dogs closer to their own size.

Sweetpea, a 1.7-pound Cavapoo, will support Team Ruff as the smallest player of all-time. Meanwhile, Levi, a 70-pound Great Dane, will likewise find his name in the record books when all is said and done.

From Josh Allenhound (named after Josh Allen) to Tailen Hurts (Jalen Hurts) and Tom Barky (Tom Brady), past editions of the Puppy Bowl have featured dogs with similar-sounding, dog-themed names that match their NFL counterparts.

This year, some of the standout names include Bark Purdy (Brock Purdy) of Team Ruff, a Chihuahua mix from the Sacramento SPCA in Sacramento, Calif.; Patrick Mabones (Patrick Mahomes) of Team Fluff, a Hound mix from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport in De Soto, Iowa; and Snack Prescott (Dak Prescott) of Team Fluff, an Australian Cattle Dog/American Pit Bull Terrier from Hearts and Bone in Dallas.

Also of note are six special needs dogs who will certainly win over the hearts of the American football-watching public. Those sweet pups include a pug terrier named Riddle, who was diagnosed with cerebellar hypoplasia; a papillon mix named Mr. Bean, who moves only using his hind legs; and four dogs who are deaf.

You'll have to wait until the day of the NFL's Super Bowl on Feb. 11, 2024, to watch Puppy Bowl 2024. Indeed, Puppy Bowl XX will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, and is preceded by a pregame presentation an hour earlier at 1 p.m. ET.

The events can be watched on Animal Planet, Discovery, Discovery Plus, TBS, TruTV, and Max. The similarly-famous Kitty Halftime show will also be back this year, along with a promotion to win a trip to Las Vegas.

Fans can vote for their favorite puppy player on Discovery's website before the game starts. And with the show's ethos centering around adoption, Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society to match donations made between Feb. 7 and 14, 2024 "to cover adoption fees for their shelters nationwide." Those interested should text the word "PUPPY" to 707070.

Referee Dan Schachner will be accompanied for the first time by a puppy assistant coach named Whistle. Additional highlights include a partnership with Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley’s foundation, which trains rescue dogs to match with people of various emotional needs.