Once again Maine is represented in Sunday’s big game – Puppy Bowl XVII! The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland is pleased to announce that they have not one but two pups drafted to play on Team Ruff in the biggest anticipated football game of the year.

Originally from Oklahoma, Rumor and Duke relocated to Maine in August thanks to a partnership with Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. Once in Maine it didn’t take long for their athletic prowess to get recognized and they were drafted to join 70 other puppies from Northeast shelters and rescues for Puppy Bowl XVII.

According to their bios, “Rumor, a staffordshire terrier/cattle dog mix, was born deaf. She relies on hand signals and her super-strong sniffer to make touchdowns and interceptions. She’s known for her signature play bow move to outsmart her opponents.”

Her teammate Duke also comes with his own special moves. “Duke, a great pyrenees/standard poodle mix, has giant paws and the floppiest of ears. We hear his big mitts may have been an advantage when out-pawing the competition. He’s also never seen a squeaker he didn’t want to run to the end zone.”

If you want to show your support for Duke and Rumor, download a FREE coloring sheet from ARLGP.org. Once you’ve added your artistic flair, be sure to snap a photo of the finished product and email it to the shelter at jroth@arlgp.org. They will be sharing the pictures on the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland’s Facebook page this weekend. Also be sure to tune in to Animal Planet or stream live on Discovery+ this Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM to cheer on Team Ruff! To learn more about Puppy Bowl XVII, including the full starting lineup, visit Discovery.com.