Latest news with #NFL-adjacent
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
Inside the Steve Smith $100K affair lawsuit: NFL legend accused of wrecking a marriage
Image source - X Just when you thought NFL offseason drama couldn't get any wilder, former wide receiver and TV analyst Steve Smith Sr. is being sued not over football, but over an alleged affair. A man named Antonio Martinez claims Smith seduced his wife, and now, he's slapping the NFL star with a "homewrecker" lawsuit that's blowing up online. Steve Smith is being sued for allegedly breaking up a marriage: Here's what went down Steve Smith Sr., the former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens star turned NFL Network analyst, is now making headlines for a whole different reason. According to a lawsuit filed this week in North Carolina, Smith is being accused of destroying Antonio Martinez's marriage by allegedly having an affair with Martinez's wife, Nicole. Martinez claims the affair took place during a work trip in Baltimore in September 2024, when Smith was in town for a filming gig. He's suing for 'alienation of affection'—a rare type of civil lawsuit that only a handful of states, including North Carolina, still allow. And it's not a small ask, Martinez is seeking over $100,000 in damages, saying Smith 'willfully, maliciously and intentionally' seduced Nicole and ruined what was once a 'loving relationship.' Screenshots, deleted posts, and a voice saying 'I'm sorry': How it all went public The lawsuit didn't come out of nowhere. Back in February 2025, Antonio Martinez had already gone public on social media with some damning receipts. He posted screenshots of private messages allegedly exchanged between Steve Smith and his wife, along with a phone call recording where a man's voice, claimed to be Smith's, can be heard saying, 'I'm sorry.' The posts were deleted soon after, but not before NFL Twitter went wild. Reddit threads, gossip blogs, and fan pages were buzzing about the situation. At that time, many assumed it was an internet drama or baseless rumor but now that a lawsuit has officially dropped, it's being taken a lot more seriously. So far, Smith hasn't commented publicly. No statements, no tweets, nothing from his legal team either. Silence is the only thing coming from his camp right now. Here's the thing: Steve Smith Sr. isn't just an ex-football player. He's a public figure with a clean-cut image, a regular on sports broadcasts, and a father of four. If any of this lawsuit holds up in court or even just in public perception it could dent more than just his bank account. The 'alienation of affection' law isn't common, but it's been used before to win big settlements. In some cases, people have walked away with hundreds of thousands, even millions. If this goes to trial, it could become one of the more bizarre NFL-adjacent legal cases in years. And for Smith, whose brand is built on authenticity, family, and grit, this could get messy fast. Also read - Could Shannon Sharpe go broke? What happens if he loses the sexual assault case? Breaking down the fallout of a $50M lawsuit
NBC Sports
26-03-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
Jersey Mike's replaces Subway as official NFL fast-food sponsor
I recently noticed on a Jersey Mike's sandwich wrapper the presence of the NHL logo. The message was this: 'Proud sponsor of the NHL.' It's time to make room on the wrapper for a far more consequential shield. Via Terry Lefton of Sports Business Journal, Jersey Mike's is replacing Subway as an official NFL sponsor in what's known as the 'QSR' category. ('QSR' apparently means 'quick serve restaurant,' another way of saying 'good food quickly.') Jersey Mike's currently has more than 3,000 U.S. locations. The chain has become more and more visible in recent years, with Danny DeVito featured in multiple national ad campaigns. Jersey Mike's joins Applebee's and Little Caesars as NFL food sponsors. And if it means Jersey Mike's will be spreading the investment to NFL-adjacent media, let it be known that I visit the local shop at least once per week — and that I'm currently holding 432 Shore Points.
New York Times
26-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Oklahoma football hires Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy as general manager
Oklahoma hired Jim Nagy, longtime executive director of the Senior Bowl, as the Sooners' new football general manager, the school announced on Wednesday. Nagy has led the Senior Bowl, the annual college football all-star game that showcases NFL Draft prospects, since 2018. His hiring at Oklahoma continues a recent trend of Power 4 programs installing figures with NFL ties atop their scouting and personnel departments. Advertisement At Oklahoma, Nagy will lead the program's roster management efforts, including identification and evaluation of recruits, managing the transfer portal, retaining players and compensating players through name, image and likeness and future revenue sharing structures set to be put in place by the pending House v. NCAA settlement. Nagy has extensive experience in talent evaluation, having spent 18 years in NFL front offices, including stints with Seattle, Kansas City, New England and Washington. In his six years with the Senior Bowl, he has been responsible for evaluating and selecting players for the game, which produces more than 100 draft picks each year. The Sooners join Stanford (which hired Andrew Luck), Cal (Ron Rivera) and North Carolina (Michael Lombardi) who have turned to people with NFL ties as its general manager. The nature of the transfer portal, which is akin to college free agency, and the compensation of players through NIL has made college football roster management more closely resemble the NFL's processes. Nagy's resume of scouting college players is the most extensive of any of the recent NFL-adjacent hires within college football. The school's announcement indicated Nagy will work 'side-by-side' with OU coach Brent Venables in a manner similar to NFL teams. Randall Stephenson, who was hired by the school in December to help oversee budgeting and planning in preparation for revenue sharing with athletes, will become 'Chair of Football' and special advisor to the president and AD and provide 'day-to-day oversight' of Nagy and Venables, while continuing his original duties. 'Today's evolving world requires skilled management of player contracts, multiple player acquisition pathways and allocating resources. All of these are new and vital functions within college athletics,' Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione said in a statement. 'I am convinced that great college football teams will be set apart by their ability to continually innovate to meet these massive changes. Part of that innovation means providing every tool Coach Venables and his staff need to be successful. Advertisement 'OU's willingness to reimagine the traditional structure and reposition the varied responsibilities within football operations will strengthen us going forward. Jim Nagy brings to us great experience, relationships and perspectives that will mesh well with our staff and will complement the program's continued pursuit of conference and national championships.' Nagy arrives at a pivotal point in Venables' tenure. The former Oklahoma and Clemson defensive coordinator is 22-17 in three seasons since taking over in Norman, including two 6-7 seasons. It's the first time Oklahoma, a program with seven national championships, has finished below .500 twice in a three-year span since the John Blake era, which ended in 1998 after three seasons. Oklahoma finished 2-6 in its first year of SEC play. This winter Venables hired a new offensive coordinator, former Washington State OC Ben Arbuckle, and signed Arbuckle's former quarterback, John Mateer, who was No. 2 in The Athletic's transfer portal top 30 quarterback rankings.
