Steve Smith Sr. alleged cheating scandal takes a shocking turn over "Homewrecker" law
Steve Smith Sr., the fiery former Carolina Panthers wide receiver known for his toughness on the field, now finds himself battling a different kind of opponent — a civil lawsuit in North Carolina court.
According to a suit filed Tuesday in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, Smith is being sued for more than $100,000 by Antonio Martinez, the husband of a woman Smith allegedly had an affair with. The woman, a member of the Baltimore Ravens' marching band, reportedly met Smith during the filming of his NFL Network series 'The NFL's Most Interesting Jobs.' From there, the lawsuit claims, the relationship escalated through months of sexually explicit messages and culminated in a hotel meeting while Smith was in Baltimore for the Ravens' January playoff game.
Advertisement
Alleged Affair Sparks Legal Firestorm
The lawsuit cites North Carolina's 'alienation of affection' statute — a rare but still-active law sometimes called the 'homewrecker law.' It allows one spouse to sue a third party for allegedly undermining the emotional foundation of a marriage. Martinez claims he discovered the affair after finding messages between his wife and Smith, including a censored nude photo of the five-time Pro Bowler. He later posted those messages publicly on X (formerly Twitter), and confronted Smith in a phone call during which Smith reportedly said, 'I'm sorry.'
This law requires proof that genuine love and affection existed in the marriage before the alleged interference — a burden of proof Martinez is prepared to pursue in court.
Reputation, Legacy, and Fallout
Advertisement
Smith, 45, is one of the most revered figures in Panthers history, retiring with 14,731 career receiving yards — good for 8th all-time in the NFL. Post-retirement, he reinvented himself as a respected analyst and media personality. The lawsuit could tarnish that reputation, especially among the Carolina faithful who still view him as a franchise cornerstone.
With the legal battle unfolding publicly, Smith faces scrutiny not just in court, but from fans and media alike. Whether he chooses to settle, fight back, or stay silent could shape how his legacy evolves off the field.
Related: Dan Morgan on David Tepper: 'Not the villain you think he is'
Related: Panthers GM Dan Morgan believes Tetairoa McMillan was too valuable to pass up
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Diamondbacks reliever Justin Martinez exits with elbow tightness in 9th inning against Mariners
Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Justin Martinez exited in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night because of tightness in his pitching elbow. Martinez entered to start the ninth with the Diamondbacks leading 4-0 and struck out Jorge Polanco and Randy Arozarena to begin the inning. The right-hander then called for an athletic trainer after throwing a pitch to Dylan Moore. Jeff Brigham replaced Martinez and gave up RBI singles to Donovan Solano and Cole Young before Dominic Canzone tied it with a 450-foot, two-run drive to right field for his first major league homer this season. Acquired from Arizona at the 2023 trade deadline, Canzone was called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day and entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh. Juan Morillo retired slugger Cal Raleigh with two runners aboard to finally end the inning. Josh Naylor hit a game-ending grand slam in the 11th to give Arizona an 8-4 victory. ___ A previous version of this story was corrected to show the Diamondbacks led 4-0 when Martinez entered, and that Young's first name is Cole. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Naylor hits grand slam in 11th and Diamondbacks recover to beat Mariners 8-4
PHOENIX (AP) — Josh Naylor hit a game-ending grand slam in the 11th inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Seattle Mariners 8-4 on Monday night after losing closer Justin Martinez with two outs in the ninth and then blowing a four-run lead. Corbin Carroll launched a leadoff homer and Naylor had three hits and five RBIs for the Diamondbacks, who stopped a three-game skid. Martinez entered to start the ninth with Arizona leading 4-0 and struck out Jorge Polanco and Randy Arozarena to begin the inning. The right-hander then called for an athletic trainer after throwing a pitch to Dylan Moore and exited with right elbow tightness, the Diamondbacks announced later. Jeff Brigham replaced Martinez and gave up RBI singles to Donovan Solano and Cole Young before Dominic Canzone tied it with a 450-foot, two-run drive to right field for his first major league homer this season. Acquired from Arizona at the 2023 trade deadline, Canzone was called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day and entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh. Juan Morillo retired slugger Cal Raleigh with two runners aboard to finally end the inning. Morillo then pitched a perfect 10th and Jalen Beeks (2-0) got three straight outs in the 11th. Naylor homered to right-center with one out on a 1-2 pitch from Carlos Vargas (1-5), who was working his second inning in relief. Vargas loaded the bases with a walk to Geraldo Perdomo that followed an intentional walk to Ketel Marte. Carroll, a Seattle native, hit his 19th home run on the first pitch from Mariners starter Emerson Hancock. Merrill Kelly threw six shutout innings for the Diamondbacks. Key moment Carroll made a sliding catch in the 11th on Solano's leadoff blooper down the right-field line to keep Moore on second base. Key stat Seattle (33-32) has lost 11 of 15. Up next Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (5-3, 3.07 ERA) starts Tuesday against Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.51). ___ AP MLB:
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 4 odds, tips and betting trends - June 12, 2025
Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 4 odds, tips and betting trends - June 12, 2025 Tune in to see Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on TNT when the Edmonton Oilers visit the Florida Panthers. The Panthers lead 2-1 in the series. Florida earned a 6-1 victory at home its last time out on June 9 against the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton played on the road in its last game on June 9, and fell 6-1 against the Florida Panthers. Here is everything you need to prepare for this Stanley Cup Final contest. Stream NHL games and originals all season long on ESPN+! Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers odds and betting lines NHL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Tuesday at 1:51 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Favorite: Panthers (-149) Panthers (-149) Underdog: Oilers (+124) Oilers (+124) Over/under: 6.5 Watch the NHL on Fubo! Panthers stats and trends Florida has won 49 of its 81 games as a favorite this season. Through 57 games with moneyline odds lower than -149 this season, the Panthers have been victorious 35 times. The moneyline odds say Florida has a 59.8% chance of winning this game. Florida has combined with its opponent to score more than 6.5 goals in 43 of 102 games this season. Over the past 10 games, the Panthers have claimed 80.0% of the possible points with a 7-2-1 record. They have averaged 4.1 goals per game (41 total) during that stretch. On the defensive end, the Panthers have given up 20 goals (2.0 per game) in those 10 matchups. Oilers stats and trends
