Getty Images

Earlier this week, the media got its first glimpse of the newest banner hanging from the rafters at Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite the fact that the Colts twice before have commemorated seasons culminating in AFC title game losses, this year’s “AFC Finalists” banner had a different feel, given that the Colts admittedly instigated the #DeflateGate controversy.

The Colts nevertheless are confused by the concern over their new banner.

“We have hung our playoff banners for nearly 30 years,” Colts COO Pete Ward said, via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. “National media and visiting team media — as well as media attending the Combine and other major events — have all seen our banners, so it’s interesting that it is a suddenly a news story.”

But it’s naive for Ward or anyone else with the Colts to not understand why it’s a story. It’s a story because the Colts pulled the rip cord on a lawnmower that ripped through Super Bowl week and ultimately crafted a lawn pattern in the form of an investigation that ended with a much-criticized conclusion that the Patriots intentionally removed air from footballs used in the game.

Ward cited “pride” and “pageantry for our stadium” as reasons for raising the banner.

“Winning in the NFL is extremely difficult, even more so to do it consistently, and recognizing an NFL playoff season — regardless of the ending — is an achievement to be proud of,” Ward said. “A lot of teams would love to be in a position to recognize a playoff season. A Super Bowl banner is a different animal, and we treat it as such.”

That’s fine, but the Colts shouldn’t be surprised by the reaction. Regardless of how many banners they’ve produced in the past, this one carries extra significance. And if they don’t know that now, they surely will when the Patriots come to town in October to play the Colts under that new banner.