The Washington Commanders are adding a new MVP to their squad.
The team announced that Team Dog Goldie, a four-month-old English Yellow Lab, will be the new “Most Valuable Pup” for the 2023 season.
Goldie arrived from North Carolina and is “staying with a volunteer puppy raiser and learning basic skills,” the Commanders said in a news release, adding that they were captivated by her fetching skills.
It’s all part of the team’s partnership with K9s for Warriors, an organization that provides military veterans who have fallen on hard times with service dogs, which started last season.
Since then, the Commanders’ charitable foundation gave $40,000 to K9s for Warriors, and head coach Ron Rivera donated $25,000 he received as the NFL’s 12th winner of the Salute to Service Award.
Unleashing our new team dog. Welcome, Goldie!
Goldie will soon begin training with @k9sforwarriors to become a service dog for a military veteran in need!
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 13, 2023
“After a thorough vetting process, our coaching staff was impressed with Goldie’s tenacity and speed on the grass,” Rivera said in a release. “She leaves it all on the field, whether she’s fetching a tennis ball or treat. Goldie will bring ‘paw-sitive energy’ and deep fetch expertise to our lineup and I am excited to welcome her to the team.”
Goldie will be partnered with a veteran by K9s for Warriors after the conclusion of the season, the team said.
She is the Commanders’ second team dog after a English black Labrador retriever named Mando was the team dog last season.
