The Puppy Bowl Will Return In 2021

Finally, some good news.

The Puppy Bowl is all set to return this year. The annual event will air on Super Bowl Sunday (February 7) ahead of the match on Discovery+and Animal Planet. While the Super Bowl is technically the main event, the Puppy Bowl is the real highlight for many.

For those who may have missed this adorable canine sporting even in years past, the Puppy Bowl "celebrates adoptable pups in all their cuteness and showcases the incredible shelters and rescues, as well as their staffers, who dedicate their lives to helping animals find their loving homes," according to a press release explains. "The adoption rate is at 100 percent as all puppies and kittens featured in Puppy Bowl to date have found their forever homes with loving families."

Referee—sorry, we mean "Rufferee"—Dan Schachner will return to the Puppy Bowl for the 10th year in a row, as well. Viewers can expect to see 70 adoptable (and adorable) puppies from shelters across the northeast U.S. compete on either Team Ruff or Team Fluff in a series of games. The winners will be awarded the "Lombarky" trophy.

"Fan-favorite elements, including slow-motion replays, nose-to-nose action from the famous water-bowl cam and aerial shots of the field from the brand-new TEMPTATIONS™ Sky Box are all back this year, along with epic drone shots o fpuppy players across the arena that bring audiences as close as possible to all the gameplay action," the press release reveals.

"Additionally, for the first time ever on the sidelines, our Team Ruff and Team Fluff players will be cheered on by none other than adoptable puppy cheerleaders who will root and howl for their favorite players," the release continues. "These cheerleading pups will turn up the volume with cuteness overload by shaking their pom-poms as the Puppy Bowl XVII players make their way down the field!"

Puppy Bowl XVII airs Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on Discovery+ and Animal Planet, ahead of Super Bowl LV. Will you be tuning in?

Photo: Getty