Costas: Anti-Gun Comments Were 'Mistake'

After a player for the Kansas City Chiefs killed his girlfriend and then himself, NBC Sportscaster Bob Costas took time out of his Sunday Night Football broadcast to deliver what critics called an attack on the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Now, Costas says his remarks were a “mistake.”

During his Sunday broadcast, Costas seemed to favorably quote a left-wing commentator who decried America’s fascination with firearms.

Instantly, fans and members of the media began to criticize Costas’ political aside.

Fox News’ Brit Hume quickly tweeted, “Bob Costas quotes KC sportswriter to make gun control case re: Jovan Belcher murder/suicide. Cites all known gun control cliches.”

By Tuesday, Costas tried to calm his critics.

“My mistake is I left it open for too much miscommunication,” Costas said in a lengthy interview on “The Dan Patrick Show.” The 90-second weekly spot, he said, doesn’t offer enough time in which to adequately discuss the issue of “the football culture, the gun culture, domestic violence.”

Costas claimed that he was misunderstood, and his “mistake” was not having enough time to make himself clear on the air.

So, what does he really think of the Second Amendment?

Here’s where I stand: I do not want to see the Second Amendment repealed… People should be allowed to own guns for their own protection. Obviously, those who are hunters… Access to guns is too easy in some cases. I don’t see any reason a citizen should be able to arm himself in some states in ways only police or military should — to have a virtual militia [by] mail order or gun shows. Why do you need a semi-automatic weapon? What possible use is there?… Whitlock wrote about a gun culture. That’s what I was focusing on.