Steve Smith Sr. Refuses to Apologize Amid Affair Allegations

Steve Smith Sr., a former All-Pro receiver, has stated he will not apologize for allegations surrounding an affair with a married woman that surfaced earlier this year.

In a recent episode of his podcast, Smith discussed the situation involving Anthony Martinez, who alleged via a series of now-deleted tweets that his wife, Nicole, had an affair with Smith in 2024. Smith recounted a conversation he had with his four children regarding the claims.

Martinez, whose wife is part of the Marching Ravens musical group, has filed a lawsuit against Smith under North Carolina’s Family Destruction Act, claiming adultery, as reported by local sources.

When asked by Ryan Clark how he addressed the issue with his children and former wife, Smith firmly stated, “I’m still not going to apologize because you don’t owe an apology to strangers about something that’s private.”

“I was raised the old school way,” he added. “We might be neighbors, but if you’re coming to my door about your business, just know you might not like what you find.” It felt like one of those moments where you realize boundaries matter.

Smith, who played for the Ravens between 2014 and 2016 and is now an analyst for the NFL Network, married his wife Angie back in 2000 while studying at the University of Utah.

“People can have their opinions,” Smith remarked. “But what’s crucial for me is giving my kids authority. I won’t speak poorly of their mother, and frankly, their perspective matters to me more than anyone else’s. To those judging from afar, it isn’t relevant because they don’t really know the situation.”

Smith further elaborated on his stance: “I’m not going to explain myself, nor will I apologize to everyone. That’s just not how it works for me. I can only wait and see what time reveals.”

Martinez is pursuing over $100,000 in damages in his civil suit in North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County Superior Court, according to reports. He had claimed in a February tweet—later deleted—that Smith and his wife met at work and included what appeared to be text exchanges between them.

Additionally, Martinez uploaded a recording of a phone call where he confronted an individual thought to be Smith.

The lawsuit alleges that Smith “deliberately, maliciously, and knowingly” engaged with Martinez’s wife during an encounter in September 2024.

Smith had joined the Marching Ravens during a game against the Bills on September 29 in Baltimore, as seen in some footage shared by the Ravens on social media.