Steve Smith Sr. caught having an affair with Ravens marching band member, sued for over $100,000

Antonio Martinez, an ex-cop and army veteran, is suing former Panthers and Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. for allegedly sleeping with his wife Nicole.

Steve Smith Sr. caught having an affair with Ravens marching band member, sued for over $100,000

Steve Smith Sr. (Image via IMAGO)

Former Maryland officer Antonio Martinez has filed a lawsuit against Steve Smith Sr. for allegedly sleeping with his wife during their one-month romance. Smith is a Carolina Panthers legend.

Martinez, a previous member of the San Antonio, Texas Police Department, filed a lawsuit against Smith on Tuesday in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Superior Court. As per the court documents, Martinez is suing Smith under the ‘homewrecker law’ or more commonly known as the ‘alienation of affection’ law.

North Carolina is among the few states that have the above-mentioned law. The development came as a surprise for Smith, who is a Mecklenburg resident and one of the most prominent players in the Panthers’ history.

Martinez discovered his wife Nicole Martinez’s affair with Smith back in February. According to The Charlotte Observer, Martinez noticed messages from an unfamiliar number on his wife’s phone. After pressuring her, he found out it was Steve Smith Sr.

Shortly after finding out that Nicole was cheating on him, Martinez went public with the affair. He posted screenshots on X of incriminating messages the two had reportedly sent each other.

Martinez confronted Smith over the phone. The conversation later found its way onto social media platforms.

“Hey, yo Steve… Yeah, you’ve been f***ing my wife, bro. Whatcha gotta say for yourself?” Antonio Martinez shouted at Smith. The 45-year-old retired receiver only said, “I am sorry,” in return.

How much is Steve Smith Sr. getting sued for?

The conversation didn’t end there. Martinez continued to pile on the pressure on Smith. “You’re sorry? You f***ing knew she was married,” Martinez said.

Steve Smith Sr. caught having an affair with Ravens marching band member, sued for over $100,000
Steve Smith Sr. (Image via IMAGO)

Martinez, a veteran, no longer played nicely. He switched to verbally attacking the former Raven, who now earns his keep as an analyst on TV.

 You’re not a f***ing man, bro!!! All that s*** you do on TV. All that s*** talking you do to other people. Now someone’s got you on the f***ing phone and you can’t even f***ing man up?

Martinez yelled

Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Adkins, revealed that Martinez had suffered PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] from serving in the US Army. So, discovering Nicole cheating emotionally broke him.

Adkins further added that Smith and Nicole met during the filming of an episode of The NFL’s Most Interesting Jobs with Steve Smith. They hit it off, and Smith allegedly slipped her his personal number through a network staffer.

They exchanged ‘s**ually explicit’ messages, photographs, and videos. The complaint filed by Martinez claimed that the two slept together as recently as January, around the time Smith was in Baltimore to cover a Ravens game. Almost a month later, Martinez discovered the affair and confronted Smith.

Martinez and Nicole met back in 2000 via Tinder. They fell in love and married in September of the same year and have raised a total of six children. Adkins said that Antonio Martinez, husband of Nicole, is suing Steve Smith Sr. for $100,000.

Smith has yet to send out a word on the lawsuit. However, it’s bound to tarnish his name, especially in the Carolina community, if proven guilty.

Smith was a revered receiver back in the day. The Panthers drafted him in the third round out of Utah State and went on to play 13 seasons for the NFC South club.

He crossed 1000 receiving yards seven times. 2005 was his best year, recording 103 receptions for 153 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2014, Smith left the Panthers to sign with the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent three seasons before retiring in 2016.

Since hanging up his boots, Smith switched over to TV, signing a multi-year deal with the NFL Network. In 2021, he joined the Panthers’ broadcast team to call preseason games.

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