Posted in: Max, TV | Tagged: puppy bowl

Puppy Bowl XXII Heartbreak: All-Star Teigan Passed Away Before Airing

Perfect Imperfections Rescue honored Puppy Bowl XXII all-star and inspiration Teigan, who passed away prior to the game airing on Sunday.

Published Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:02:07 -0600

by Ray Flook

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While millions were inspired by Puppy Bowl XXII competitor Teigan when she took the field on Sunday, her appearance was also heartbreaking and bittersweet. Born with a neurological disorder and a severely curved spine, Teigan nearly died from pneumonia after arriving at Perfect Imperfections Rescue. Sadly, Teigan was unable to fight off another run of pneumonia, passing away in October 2025 – three months before she would grace our screens for the last time. Teigan was one of 15 special needs dogs spotlighted in this year's edition of the annual event, with the animal sanctuary sharing the news for those who may have missed it back in October, while honoring her memory and sharing looks at her time filming Puppy Bowl XXII.

"Teigan on the big screen during the taping of the puppy bowl. It will be bittersweet to her on TV. For those who don't know, Teigan and I spent a day at the rescue taping a segment about Teigan, her condition and her receiving her custom cart made by K9karts," read to caption to the Facebook post from Perfect Imperfections. "A few weeks after we had the taping we traveled to NY and participated in the puppy bowl. It was such a fun experience. We meet so many incredible people from rescues all over the USA. Spending the day in a room full of puppies was an added bonus. Please tune in and help celebrate Teigan. She was such an incredible soul. I'm not sure I will ever get over losing her so soon." Here's a look at the post:

"A little preview of Teigan on the field! She did so well in her cart ❤️," read the caption to a follow-up post, offering a brief look behind the scenes at the filming of the event:

And here's a look at Teigan in action during Sunday's big game: