Former Packers player Rod Gardner, his wife Leticia take first in Amazing Race season 36 premiere; Wisconsin firefighter moms also advance

Wisconsin teams on "The Amazing Race" over the years have shown they know how to win.

So, how will two teams with connections to the state fare in season 36?

Highlighted by former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Rod Gardner and his wife, Leticia, taking first place in the opening episode, they're off to a solid start on the long-running CBS reality TV competition show, which kicked off Wednesday night.

Wisconsin firefighter moms Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith are in the back of the pack after the first leg, which began in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, but thanks to an impressive showing in one of the challenges they weren't in danger of being eliminated and are moving on.

Here is what you should know about "The Amazing Race," which has crowned two winners from Wisconsin in its history.

Rod Gardner is the NFL player on Amazing Race, with wife Leticia Gardner: team takes first place in season 36 premiere

Rod Gardner and his wife, Leticia, are leading the way after the first leg of "The Amazing Race." The season began with 13 teams.

Gardner, 46, had a six-year NFL career from 2001-06. He had his most successful seasons with Washington, in which he posted a 1,000-yard campaign in his second year. Gardner played two games for the Packers late in the 2005 season.

Rod and Leticia talked in an early confessional how their competitiveness would help them thrive in this environment.

"I hate losing," Leticia said.

So far, they didn't experience this feeling. They arrived at the first competition second and then did well in it. Rod and Leticia had to watch a crowded wrestling ring full of luchador wrestlers and remember the masks they were wearing.

After a period of time, they had to play a match game with pictures that featured the wrestlers' masks and their opponents in a different area. When they matched the pictures correctly they could continue on in the race.

They left that competition in second place, and had no trouble finding the next challenge, even bypassing the team previously in first. They also didn't have much trouble with the roadblock, the other competition on each leg.

Contestants took part in a charro challenge where they had to leap through lassos that were spinning in a typical jump rope-style format. If their feet got tangled up or their large sombrero hit the rope they had to start again. Only one person from each team takes part in roadblocks.

The Gardners arrived first at the pit stop, celebrated and shared a kiss. But host Phil Keoghan gave them a surprise. Instead of the leg ending and the winner receiving a prize (typically a destination-style vacation), while also getting a break before taking off for the next leg the next day, the race continued.

"He's the best teammate," Leticia, 38, said in a promotional clip ahead of Wednesday's season premiere. "That's why I made him my husband."

They will wear orange on the race.

Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith are Wisconsin firefighters on 'The Amazing Race'

Pulver, of Edgerton, and Smith, of New Berlin, have some catching up to do. Pulver, 41, and Smith, 37, who are both firefighters and moms, checked in ninth during the season premiere.

They weren't featured much during the early part of the episode — it wasn't until about 45 minutes into the premiere that they were introduced, telling the audience about their families and their roles with their fire departments and how they want to be an inspiration for their children.

After falling behind in the first half of the leg, the shining moment came at the lasso roadblock. Pulver competed in this and she breezed through it. It was the perfect challenge for her since she said in a confessional that she loves to jump rope.

From there, they checked in with Keoghan, where they got their next clue to continue racing.

In a pre-race interview with the show that they posted on their Instagram accounts earlier Wednesday, Smith said that "a lot of our strengths, comes from being moms. We deal with toddlers. It’s terrible sometimes and we get through it," she said laughing. "And at the end of the day that builds a lot of character."

What are the best friends' weaknesses? "We probably just love to have too much fun," Smith said.

But "we tend to get sidetracked," Pulver added. OK, that may be a bit problematic since the race is all about staying focused on a task.

Even if they experience some bumps along the way — directions and driving in different countries typically trip up teams as we saw in the opener with the team that was eliminated — Pulver and Smith appear like a duo that will keep on smiling. "We laugh at ourselves," Smith said.

They'll look to get in the front of the pack in next week's episode. Pulver and Smith will wear blue on the race.

Amazing Race cast: Season 36 contestants

• Rod and Leticia Gardner (married; Rod is a former NFL wide receiver who briefly played for the Green Bay Packers) - First place after leg 1
• Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith (best friends/firefighters from Wisconsin) - Ninth place after leg 1
• Derek Williams and Shelisa Williams (married)
• Amber Craven and Vinny Cagungun (dating)
• Michelle and Sean Clark (married)
• Yvonne Chavez and Melissa Main (dating)
• Angie and Danny Butler (mother, son)
• Ricky Rotandi and Cesar Aldrete (dating)
• Juan Villa and Shane Bilek (best friends)
• Anthony and Bailey Smith (twin brothers)
• Kishori Turner and Karishma Cordero (cousins)
• Chris Foster and Mary Cardona-Foster (father, daughter)
• Rohan and Maya Mody (brother, sister) - eliminated

Amazing Race elimination: Season 36, episode 1

The brother-sister duo of Rohan, 23, and Maya Mody, 20, who discussed in their introductions about how they studied different languages in school to prepare for the race, were sent home after arriving to the mat last.

The college students had trouble finding the first challenge after departing with all the other teams from the starting point. They also had difficulty navigating around Puerto Vallarta.

They couldn't make up the time during the competitions.

Who hosts 'The Amazing Race'?

Phil Keoghan is the longtime host of "The Amazing Race."

He welcomed all the teams to the race at the start of the premiere from a beach in Puerto Vallarta. Keoghan checks all the teams into the pit stop and has the job of telling teams they either moved on or have been eliminated. His wittiness is often appreciated by contestants.

What time does 'The Amazing Race' season 36 start? How long is 'The Amazing Race'?

"The Amazing Race" season 36 begins Wednesday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. with a 90-minute premiere.

All episodes this season are 90 minutes following "Survivor."

What channel is 'The Amazing Race'?: TV, live streaming

"The Amazing Race" airs on CBS.

You can stream the "The Amazing Race" on the CBS app and Paramount Plus.