Bob Costas Gun Control Speech during 'Sunday Night Football' Halftime in Regards to Jovan Belcher's Murder-Suicide Sparks Twitter Criticism [VIDEO]

Instead of popular NBC sportscaster Bob Costas talking the game and logistics during Sunday Night Football's Eagles vs. Cowboys halftime show on Dec. 2, the prime-time host decided to give a rather controversial speech on his thoughts concerning gun control in response to the recent murder-suicide tragedy involving Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher. After Costas' 90-second segment "speech" on gun control aired on Sunday evening, many fans hit up Twitter criticizing the sports broadcaster for discussing such serious and personal views during a football program meant to simply entertain. Costas' controversial words sparked an online social media debate over what exactly is appropriate to discuss during a purely entertainment-geared show such as NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

During Sunday evening's halftime show, Costas referenced Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock's piece on the Belcher tragedy. In the article Whitlock is shocked that the Kansas City Chiefs decided to play in Sunday afternoon's game against the Panthers, insisting that such a decision "speak[s] to how numb we are in this society to gun violence and murder. We've come to accept our insanity. We'd prefer to avoid seriously reflecting upon the absurdity of the prevailing notion that the second amendment somehow enhances our liberty rather than threatens it."

Whitlock goes on to argue:

"How many young people have to die senselessly? How many lives have to be ruined before we realize the right to bear arms doesn't protect us from a government equipped with stealth bombers, predator drones, tanks and nuclear weapons?

Our current gun culture simply ensures that more and more domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy, and that more convenience-store confrontations over loud music coming from a car will leave more teenage boys bloodied and dead."

Costas apparently agrees with this view, stating during NBC's football halftime segment:

"In the coming days, Jovan Belcher's actions and their possible connection to football will be analyzed. Who knows? But here, wrote Jason Whitlock, is what I believe. If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today."

(On Saturday, Dec. 1, Chiefs linebacker Javon Belcher tragically shot the mother of his three-month-old child Kasandra M. Perkins and ultimately killed himself at Arrowhead Stadium in a shocking murder-suicide. Read more on the tragic story here).

Costas' "gun control" speech sparked a social media debate on Twitter, with many fans believing his public service-esque announcement was rather inappropriate. Not to mention that many individuals completely disagree with his views.

@JPOConnor55: "Bob Costas should be fired. Hank Williams Jr. was fired for publicizing his political opinions, Costas was the same thing."

@TedNugent: "We thought Bob Costas was smarter than that. Only fools blame tools instead of human failings. Shame Bob."

@thetuglife: "Dear Bob Costas: if you're so in favor of gun control, let's disarm your bodyguard & the security at @NBCSports."

@Jkelce: "Does Bob Costas know that people are murdered everyday by means other than gunshots? Removing guns will not stop psychos from killing people."

@Ted_Newton: "Shame on NBC & Bob Costas for that embarrassing anti-gun screed. Luckily, Brady Quinn's words were far more intelligent & relevant."

‏@THATAllenCovert: "Bob Costas should stick to sports and being short. I'll stick to being a safe gun owner. Responsibility lies with the individual."

So what are Mstarz fan's views on the subject?