Sports may or may not be your cup of tea. But who doesn’t love four-legged players dressed in jerseys, and fighting tooth and nail over a rope instead of a football? Mercer County Animal Shelter has their own team of MVP’s that are getting ready on the sidelines.

Every year, as anticipation builds for the Super Bowl, another equally heartwarming event captures the attention of animal lovers across the nation — the Puppy Bowl. This year’s spectacle was particularly special for Minnesotans as one of their own,

“Back by paw-pular demand, DEN Puppy Bowl returns to the Jeppesen Terminal for its 9th year before the big game on Sunday!” DIA said in a statement. “Adorable puppies from Denver Animal Shelter will play on a mini football field, and info on adopting them (and other shelter pets) will be available. Plus, DEN CATS will be there as well!”

Puppy Bowl XXI, which airs Sunday afternoon on Animal Planet and other channels (see tune-in information below), will feature 142 rescue dogs from 40 states in three hours of play. Teams Ruff and Fluff will vie for the Lombarky Trophy, their rosters including eight dogs from New Jersey.

Before the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs square off on Super Bowl Sunday, more than 140 dogs will participate in Puppy Bowl XXI.

Foxtrot, a mixed Collie and rescue pup at Pet Haven was on Team Ruff that lost to Team Fluff in a 68-66 nailbiter.

Puppy Bowl referee and actor Dan Schachner discusses the 21st annual Puppy Bowl and its mission to promote the adoption of dogs.