The scrutiny has picked up in recent days with threats of congressional hearings and a headline-grabbing remark from President Obama about injuries in the game.

The NFL is well prepared for whatever comes its way. The league has amassed a war chest to build alliances with lawmakers, and fields a team of lobbyists who know the Washington playbook.

Adolpho Birch III, a senior vice president at the NFL, said the league is expecting lawmakers to follow them off the field once Sunday’s contest is through…

“Like every other industry, if you have problems, you have to start coughing up campaign contributions and increase your lobbying. That’s what the NFL is doing. It’s no different. It’s not special,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group that released a report this month on the NFL’s lobbying efforts.