The star of the Puppy Bowl. While the majority of NFL fans are discussing today the snoozefest of a game, how Drake Maye will come back stronger next year, or their gripes with the Bad Bunny halftime show, there was another annual event that also aired yesterday… the annual Animal Planet Puppy Bowl.
Each year, before the kick-off, Animal Planet hosts their annual Puppy Bowl, highlighting some of the toughest up-and-coming athletes available for adoption. The adorable program highlights the Fluff and Ruff team leaving it all on the field in a chaotic yet heartwarming display of puppy play.
Bunnie Xo knows what’s up and shared a post that she would be sat for the Puppy Bowl.
@xomgitsbunnie Ruff & Fluff 😍 #bunniexo #superbowl #puppybowl ♬ Crazy On You – Heart
Over the last few years, the Puppy Bowl has gone viral for showcasing special-needs talent on the field, highlighting that every dog deserves love and play.
Back in 2021, the Puppy Bowl highlighted a contestant, Jett, who needed a little extra help moving around the field. The sweet black puppy has only his back legs; he relies on a wheelchair-like contraption that serves as his front limbs. This allows him to run and play like all the other Puppy Bowl contestants.
Since competing in the 2021 Puppy Bowl, Jett has gone viral numerous times, proving that you can still be a fierce competitor despite your disability.
@faerielillie #onthisday #puppybowl ♬ Video Games – Lana Del Rey
The 2026 Puppy Bowl continued the trend of highlighting special-needs dogs, such as Brulee, a French bulldog mix who was blind. According to Entertainment Tonight, this year’s Puppy Bowl included 15 special-needs four-legged friends, making it the most in Puppy Bowl history.
While all these special-needs dogs are true warriors, the real star of this year’s Puppy Bowl was a special-needs Aussie named Teigen. Teigen was born with a rare neurological disorder that prevented her from standing for long periods of time. She had a crooked spine and a hard time swallowing. However, thanks to the dedicated team at Perfect Imperfections rescue, Teigan received the best life possible with the help of K9karts, which created a custom cart for the adorable pup, allowing her to be mobile.
Teigan was a fierce competitor on the field during the Puppy Bowl, and it did not take long for her to win over the hearts of viewers:
But fans were heartbroken to learn the pup they fell in love with on their TV screens was not available for adoption because she crossed the rainbow bridge shortly after filming the Puppy Bowl.
A month before the Puppy Bowl aired, Perfect Imperfections took to social media to deliver the heartbreaking news that Teigan was no longer with them.
“This year’s Puppy Bowl is going to be amazing! Teigan may not be here with us to watch, but her spirit lives on here at the rescue. We had an amazing experience filming the puppy bowl. There will also be a segment on Teigan, Perfect Imperfections Rescue, and K9 Karts.
Teigan’s amazing personality, her love of life, and her ability to connect with people made this experience so much better than I could have imagined. This was our first year being invited, and we hope to be able to participate again.”
In a second post, closer to the Puppy Bowl air date, Perfect Imperfections noted that Teigan was an incredible soul and that they had lost her too soon.
It’s evident by her Puppy Bowl performance that Teigan was brave and had the strength of a true fighter. I am sure those same characteristics were evident every day in this tiny warrior. Rest in peace, Teigen.
