Meet Tuffy III, NC State’s new live mascot that’s all energy, cuteness — and ears
It’s the ears. It has to be the ears.
On Tuesday, the N.C. State Athletic Department introduced the newest addition to the Wolfpack family — Tuffy III.
All ears, energy and cuteness, Tuffy III is next in line of live mascots to roam the sidelines during football games.
Tuffy III was introduced via a video that opens with a shot of the tunnel leading to the football field at Carter-Finley Stadium. Tuffy III comes bounding out of the tunnel just in time to be greeted with some treats.
The pup, a Tamaskan, instantly won the hearts of N.C. State fans, who took to social media and poured out their testimonials, approving of the latest mascot.
Tuffy III was raised by Lisa and Joe Downey, long-term owners of the school’s live mascots.
Lisa Downey said in a video on NC State Athletics’ Twitter account that he’s a direct descendant of Tuffy I. She said years ago, they put Tuffy 1 “on ice,” with the idea that Tuffy 1’s legacy would live on with the assistance of a reproductive specialist in the future.
As each of the seven puppies in the litter was born, Lisa Downey said in the video that she wondered whether the puppy would be Tuffy III, “seconds into life.”
“We chose the one that closest resembled Tuffy I and had the same mannerism and tolerance, hopefully the same level of motivation and sense of adventure he’s going to need to make it on the field,” Lisa Downey said in the video. “We think we got the right guy.”
They also raised Tuffy II, who died in October after being diagnosed with Canine dilated cardiomyopathy. DCM is a heart disease that decreases the ability of the heart to pump blood, which ultimately results in an enlarged heart.
Tuffy II was the live mascot on the sidelines starting in 2016.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 4:14 PM.
