If you’ve been anywhere near sports Twitter or NFL headlines lately, you’ve probably seen the name Steve Smith swirling around some pretty messy drama. Not the "triple crown winner" or "Carolina Panthers legend" kind of drama—the real-life, legal-paperwork-in-North-Carolina kind. It's a situation involving a woman named Nicole Martinez (often searched as Mar Nikki Steve Smith due to social media tags and shorthand), her husband Antonio "Tony" Martinez, and a whole lot of deleted tweets.
Honestly, it’s a lot to process. We’re used to Steve Smith Sr. being the loudest guy in the room on the NFL Network or The Pivot podcast, but this story put him in a defensive position that nobody saw coming.
The Baltimore Connection: How It All Started
Basically, this whole thing kicked off because of a TV segment. Back in September 2024, Steve Smith was in Baltimore to film an episode of his show, The NFL’s Most Interesting Jobs. One of those jobs involves the Baltimore Marching Ravens, the team’s official marching band.
Nicole Martinez was a member of that band.
According to the lawsuit filed by her husband, Antonio, Smith met Nicole during the shoot. The legal docs claim that Smith—using an NFL agent as a middleman—got her phone number. From there, it supposedly escalated into a flurry of text messages and calls.
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The Allegations and the "Receipts"
Tony Martinez didn't just quietly file for divorce. He went public. In February 2025, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to air everything out. He posted screenshots of what he claimed were explicit messages from Smith to his wife. One of the more infamous quotes allegedly from Smith was: "I would love to bend u over the sink right now."
It got messier. Tony also posted a video of a phone call where he confronted a man he claimed was Smith. In the recording, the voice—which sounds remarkably like the former wide receiver—can be heard saying "I'm sorry" in a very subdued tone.
The lawsuit itself, which was filed in May 2025, seeking over $100,000 in damages, alleges that the affair wasn't just digital. It claims the two had sex in January 2025 after attending a Ravens playoff game together. Antonio’s core argument is "alienation of affection," a specific legal claim in North Carolina where a third party is accused of intentionally destroying a marriage.
Steve Smith’s Response: "Mind Ya Business"
For a long time, Smith stayed quiet. No tweets. No PR statements. He just kept doing his thing on camera.
But eventually, he addressed it on The Pivot podcast in November 2025. If you were expecting a tearful apology to the public, you don't know Steve Smith. He made it very clear that he feels he owes "strangers" nothing.
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He told the hosts:
"I’m not going to walk around apologizing to people I don't know. My priority is my wife and my kids."
He’s been married to his wife, Angie, since 2000. They have four children. Smith’s stance is basically that whatever happens within his family is for his family to deal with, and the rest of the world can keep speculating if they want. He asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, calling it a private matter that shouldn't be litigated in the court of public opinion.
Why "Mar Nikki" is Trending
You might be wondering why you keep seeing the term Mar Nikki Steve Smith. In the chaos of social media, usernames and tags get mangled. Nicole Martinez is the individual at the center of the controversy, but between her maiden name (Crever), her married name, and various social media handles like @Lambeaughini (Tony's old handle), the search terms have become a bit of a linguistic soup.
The reality is simpler: it’s a story about a high-profile athlete, a member of a team’s marching band, and a marriage that fell apart under the spotlight.
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Sorting Fact from Friction
It is easy to get lost in the "he said, she said" of it all. Here is what we actually know:
- The Lawsuit is Real: Antonio Martinez filed a civil suit in North Carolina.
- The Meeting Happened: Smith was definitely in Baltimore filming with the Marching Ravens.
- The Fallout: Tony and Nicole Martinez have since moved toward divorce.
- The Silence: Nicole Martinez has largely stayed out of the public eye, unlike her husband and Smith.
Some people on social media have been quick to point out that the blame shouldn't just rest on Smith. Former NFL players Shannon Sharpe and Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson even discussed it on their own platforms, suggesting that Tony's primary issue should be with his wife’s choices, not just the "other man."
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is a criminal case. It’s not. This is a civil dispute. In most states, you can't sue someone for having an affair with your spouse. However, North Carolina is one of the few places where "alienation of affection" and "criminal conversation" laws still exist on the books.
It’s an "old school" law for an "old school" player, though maybe not in the way Smith meant it on the podcast.
Another point of confusion? People often mix this up with the Australian cricketer Steve Smith. That Steve Smith is married to Dani Willis and lives a very different (and currently less litigious) life in New York City. Different guy, different sport, much less drama.
The Actionable Takeaway: Navigating High-Profile Scandals
When a story like the Mar Nikki Steve Smith situation breaks, the internet moves faster than the facts. If you're following this or similar sports scandals, here is how to stay informed without getting sucked into the "fake news" cycle:
- Check the Venue: Look for where the lawsuit was filed. In this case, North Carolina's specific laws are the only reason this is a legal story and not just a tabloid one.
- Verify the "Receipts": Social media screenshots can be doctored. Wait for evidence to be entered into court records before taking it as gospel.
- Watch the Primary Sources: Smith’s appearance on The Pivot is the only time he’s spoken on the record. Everything else is secondary commentary.
- Understand the Nuance: Adultery is a personal failing to many, but a legal one in only a handful of jurisdictions. Distinguishing between the two helps make sense of why a $100,000 price tag is involved.
This story is a reminder that even "retired" athletes are never really out of the public eye. Whether the lawsuit holds up or gets dismissed, the digital footprint of those February tweets isn't going anywhere.