'Puppy Bowl XX' to feature 131 adoptable dogs

Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Puppy Bowl will return in 2024 with over 130 adoptable dogs.

The 20th edition of the TV special will take place Feb. 11 on Super Bowl Sunday.

Puppy Bowl XX will air at 2 p.m. EST on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+.

The three-hour special will feature 131 adoptable dogs from 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories. The dogs include the all-time smallest pup, Sweetpea, at 1.7 pounds and the biggest, Levi, at 72 pounds.

During the Puppy Bowl, adoptable dogs are assigned to Team Fluff and Team Ruff to chase, fetch and play on a special football-themed field.

Team Ruff will include Dash, a Pomeranian-pug mix, and Maggie, a chow chow-American Staffordshire terrier, while Team Fluff will feature Tater, an Australian cattle dog-German shepherd, and Peanut Pretzel, a pug.

In addition, six special needs puppies will be introduced, including Riddle, a pug terrier with the neurological condition cerebellar hypoplasia, and Mr. Bean, a papillon who only has two legs.

The 20th edition will also see four previous Puppy Bowl players return to be inducted into the Puppy Bowl Hall of Fame.

Dan Schachner returns as Puppy Bowl referee for his 13th year, with puppy Whistle to serve as assistant coach.

The special will kick off at 1 p.m. EST with the pre-game show featuring interviews with coaches and players.

Puppy Bowl XX coincides with Super Bowl LVIII, which will take place Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev. The football game will air at 6:30 p.m. EST on CBS and also have an alternate, kids-friendly broadcast on Nickelodeon.