Former National Football League (NFL) star wide receiver Steve Smith, Sr. had a February to forget in 2025. Selected as a first-time finalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he learned early in the month that this wouldn't be his year for inclusion. To make matters worse, later in the month he found himself added to something he didn't want to be a member of — a lawsuit.
Accused of having an affair with a married woman, Smith faces a suit under North Carolina's alienation of affection law, a dignitary tort also referred to as a "Homewrecker Law" in the few states that recognize it. The husband, who posted proof of the affair on social media in February before filing suit on April 29, 2025, is seeking $100,000 in damages for the "love in the marriage" that was "destroyed" by Smith and the affair.
I'm With the Band
Despite this year's denial to the Hall of Fame, Smith's long and storied career likely means he'll gain induction sooner rather than later. Playing for 16 seasons, Smith ranks eighth all-time in NFL receiving yards, was a three-time All Pro, and went to the Pro Bowl five times. After retiring, he transitioned into a commentator role on the NFL Network.
He met his wife Angie while they both attended the University of Utah. Married in 2000, they have four kids together and Smith has repeatedly praised his wife's support throughout his playing days and beyond. Smith played with the Carolina Panthers for 13 years before finishing with the Baltimore Ravens, where he allegedly met Nicole Martinez, a member of the Marching Ravens, the team's band.
According to the lawsuit and posts to social media made by Martinez's husband Antonio Martinez, Smith and Nicole met when Smith was in Baltimore to film a piece about the band in September 2024. After Smith allegedly gave her his contact information, the two entered into text-based relationship that included their sexual fantasies involving one another.
The lawsuit charges that they met up at Smith's hotel room when he was in Baltimore to cover a playoff game in January 2025. When Martinez discovered the affair through the messages on his wife's phone, he posted them to social media and allegedly called Smith to confront him. A recorded conversation Martinez says took place between them has the receiver saying, "I'm sorry," to accusations of having sex with Nicole.
Old Laws Still Count
While Martinez has stated he intends to divorce Nicole, Smith has yet to publicly respond to the allegations or address what's going to happen to his own marriage. What he will have to respond to is the lawsuit Martinez has filed against him under North Carolina's alienation of affection statute.
Only used in a few states that include Hawaii and Illinois, this archaic law allows the wronged party in a marriage to seek damages from the person who committed the infidelity with their spouse. It's still alive in North Carolina.
Under the so-called "Homewrecker Law," the injured spouse must prove three elements to claim damages. These are:
- There was love in the marriage
- That love was alienated and destroyed
- The "homewrecker" caused or contributed to the loss of affection/love
Martinez married Nicole in 2021 and included posts from their social media wedding page as an indication of the love between them. In his online posts from February 2025 that included sexually-charged texts between Nicole and Smith, Martinez noted that he'd helped her navigate through legal issues and thought they had a love that would last.
Martinez's suit accuses Smith of alienation of affection, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. He's seeking $100,000 in relief and legal fees. Given that Smith earned millions in the NFL and has a high-paying job, if he is indeed guilty he may have preferred a settlement that was kept quiet. It only goes to show that Hell's fury doesn't require a specific gender to be scorned.
Related Resources
- Marriage, American Style: Strange Laws and Oddities (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
- Fault and No-Fault Divorce: An Overview (FindLaw's Divorce Law)
- Will I Lose Child Custody if I Cheated on My Spouse? (FindLaw's Child Custody Law)
