Former NFL star Steve Smith is still paying the cost of an alleged love affair with a married woman, as the former NFL star faces a lawsuit for ruining a marriage earlier this year.
Smith recently took a page out of the Gilbert Arenas book of handling potentially-damaging situations, by appearing to crack a joke about the situation while live on an NFL broadcast Thursday night. In the midst of the two-time All-Pro wideout providing color commentary during the Panthers vs. Steelers game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, one of his boothmates began reading a Bojangles chicken promo.
The ad promised Carolina Panthers fans a free chicken sandwich if they scanned a QR code on their screens. The conversation innocently turned to whether or not Smith would fund the addition of more food items to the fans. That’s when he kept it 100 and offered this response:
“Man, ya’ll know my situation,” he said with a laugh. “I can’t afford to be helping anybody right now!”
Smith’s colleagues didn’t hold back their laughter and even needed a moment to gather themselves and get back to work on the broadcast.
Antonio Martinez Files $100K Lawsuit Against NFL Great Steve Smith For Being “Homewrecker” & Seducing His Wife
Yeah. Smith’s situation is comical for everyone except Antonio Martinez, the man who sued Smith in April, alleging that the NFL star shattered his marriage by “willfully, maliciously and intentionally” seducing his wife, Nicole, during a September 2024 encounter in Baltimore. Martinez wants $100K from Smith in the suit, which Smith filed to dismiss last month. Steve Smith Sr. is being sued under the “homewrecker” law. Back in February, Martinez took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to call out Smith for allegedly having an affair with his wife. Martinez’s wife is a member of the “Marching Ravens” who provide music and entertainment at the team’s home games.
Martinez Doesn’t Hold Back
“My wife works for the Marching Ravens @Ravens She met Steve Smith Sr at work. Steve Smith has been (expletive) my wife. I got receipts, I got a lot more homie.”
Martinez leaked text messages and even uploaded a video of him calling someone who is allegedly Smith Sr. When asked why he messed with Martinez’s wife, all you hear the person say is “I’m sorry.” While the voice did in fact sound like Smith Sr., in this day and age of AI you can never be so sure.
Smith Sr. played the final three seasons (2014-16) of his illustrious career with the Ravens.
Martinez didn’t hold back when letting everyone know that his wife had allegedly stepped out with the NFL Network analyst. He even tagged TMZ, ESPN and X legend Antonio Brown, trolls all day on the social media app.
Fans Chime In On The Drama
Users took to X, Instagram and Facebook to comment on the wild series of events.
One user said, “Whoa Steve a freak.”
Another fan believes Martinez should’ve kept this in house.
“People need to learn to take their L in private.”
Shannon Sharpe & Ochocinco Tell Martinez The Beef Is With His Wife, Not Steve Smith Jr.
Smith caught some heat, but Martinez, the victim in this case, was also made the center of jokes by fans and podcast analysts such as Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco, who felt that Smith doesn’t owe Martinez an apology or any money. He needs to take the loss and be quiet about it.
“I’ve known Smitty for 20 years. He was just at my party at the Super Bowl, had a great conversation with him. I love the guy,” Sharpe said on his Nightcap podcast back in May. “Hard nosed, the way he plays, X, Y and Z. But bro, you need to take that up with your wife. Smitty owes you no loyalty,” he said.
“I don’t know the gentleman’s name but this a situation you have to take up with your wife.”
Said another fan on X: “She wanted the D after she saw Steve conducting the orchestra at the Ravens game. Lol.”
Martinez even responded to his video after fans commented to leave her, and some others said his posting this wasn’t a good look.
“For those saying divorce her. Yeah No sh-t. For those saying looks worse on me. I ain’t got nothing to lose.”
Smith Is Married With Four Children
Carolina Panthers star was a 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist for the very first time and he didn’t make the cut. This situation has legs that also create some PR nightmares for him as he tries to claim that gold jacket. Smith’s been married since 2000. The couple has four children.
The dynamic wideout spent the first 13 seasons of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers and he’s still the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. You have to pay the cost to play boss games. At least it didn’t cost him $100M.
