John Elway Questions Need For Military-Style Rifles In Piers Morgan Interview

In a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Piers Morgan that aired Thursday, Broncos vice president of football operations John Elway doesn't see why people would need military-style rifles and is open to finding a solution for ending gun violence in America.

The answer from Elway, a hunter, a gun owner and a conservative who endorsed Mitt Romney for president in 2012, might come as surprise to some fans of the former Broncos quarterback turned businessman.

"You're from Colorado and I was particularly appalled by what happened in the Aurora movie theater," Morgan began. "But as somebody who has grown up in American culture, presumably around guns, what is your view of the debate as it stands?" He asked Elway.

To which Elway responded: "You know, I'm still waiting to hear both sides of it. I'm a gun owner. I'm a hunter and I enjoy that and I respect the second amendment."

"As someone who hunts and shoots for sport, do you see any need for civilians to have one of these military-style rifles that can pump out 100 bullets a minute?" Morgan asked.

"No, and that's one area -- I don't own a machine gun," Elway said and before he finished his thought Morgan asked, "But do you see why anybody would need one as a civilian?"

"I do not," Elway responded. "I don't see that. And that's the side I'm waiting to hear about and to see if that is the solution, if that's the solution that can prevent some of these catastrophes that are going on at these grade schools then, you know, I'm all for the solution."

Listen to audio of the interview at Colorado's Morning News show website at 850 KOA.