New York ? Bobby Cox will retire as manager of the Atlanta Braves after next season, ending an illustrious career in which he guided the team to 14 consecutive postseason appearances and the 1995 World Series title.

The 68-year-old Cox, a four-time Manager of the Year, agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2010, the Braves announced before Wednesday night’s game against the New York Mets. He will start a five-year consulting agreement to advise the team in baseball operations after he steps down as manager.

“They asked me to come back, and I said I would do it for one more year, and we’ll announce the retirement along with it. It’s the only way I think I’m ever going to walk away from the game, is to go ahead and say I’m going to, and then I’ve got to,” Cox said. “There’s no turning back now — win, lose or draw. Whatever happens next year is going to be it.”

A cigar-smoking baseball lifer, Cox managed the Braves from 1978-81, switched to manage the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982-85, then returned to manage Atlanta in 1990.

He began Wednesday with 2,408 regular-season wins as a manager, fourth behind Connie Mack (3,731), John McGraw (2,763) and Tony La Russa (2,550). Cox and Joe McCarthy are the only managers with six 100-win regular seasons.

“There is a little bit of relief once you come to grips with announcing it,” Cox said. “I’ve never lost the love to manage — period. But you have to make a decision. At my age, you have to make a decision. Somebody a little younger can start up.”

Braves general manager Frank Wren said he won’t start thinking about a successor for Cox until an appropriate time next season. Both men said Cox probably will have input.

BASEBALL

Posada’s X-rays negative

Anaheim, Calif. — Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has no broken bones in his foot after fouling a ball off his toes. The Yankees sent him for X-rays on Wednesday morning after his foot developed a bruise, but they were negative.

NFL

Cowboys’ Adams fined

Irving, Texas — Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams has been fined $12,500 by the NFL for kicking two New York Giants on Sunday, making it two straight games he’s been fined.

Adams was punished not only for the second-quarter play that left Justin Tuck with a shoulder injury, but also for doing it to Osi Umenyiora in the fourth quarter.

Favre: Jets fines unfair

Eden Prairie, Minn. — Brett Favre said Wednesday he believes the fines handed down by the NFL for his absence from last year’s New York Jets injury reports were “very unfair.”

Favre was asked by reporters for the first time about the $125,000 in penalties levied on the Jets organization ($75,000), general manager Mike Tannenbaum ($25,000), and former head coach Eric Mangini ($25,000).

“I just think it’s wrong,” Favre said. “They did everything that I felt they were supposed to.”

Titans lineman fined

Nashville, Tenn. — The NFL has fined Tennessee defensive tackle Jason Jones $5,000 for unnecessarily going into a scrum during last weekend’s 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans. Jones received the fine Wednesday. He was ejected from the game after an official said he threw a punch on the Texans’ sideline during the fourth quarter. Jones denied throwing a punch, and coach Jeff Fisher said a day later he could not see a punch thrown from the coach’s film.

Vikings’ Peterson limited

Eden Prairie, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was limited in practice Wednesday because of a back injury. The NFL’s leading rusher was listed on the team’s injury report, three days after rushing for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. The team plays host to San Francisco on Sunday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Akron boots quarterback

Akron, Ohio — Suspended Akron starting quarterback Chris Jacquemain has been removed from the team for the remainder of the season. Zips coach J.D. Brookhart had suspended Jacquemain for last Saturday’s game.

Purdue guard suspended

West Lafayette, Ind. — The Big Ten has suspended Purdue offensive guard Zach Reckman for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame after it reviewed Reckman’s late hit at the end of the Northern Illinois game. Reckman dropped a right forearm on NIU’s Sean Progar after Progar recovered a fumble and slid to end Purdue’s final desperation play in the Huskies’ 28-21 win.

NBA

Russian to purchase Nets

New York — Russia’s richest man has a deal to buy a controlling interest in the New Jersey Nets and nearly half of a project to build a new arena in Brooklyn. Mikhail Prokhorov’s Onexim Group announced the deal Wednesday with Forest City Ratner Companies and Nets Sports and Entertainment. They say they have signed a letter of intent to create a partnership for the development of the Atlantic Yards Project.

According to the agreement, entities to be formed by Onexim Group will invest $200 million and make certain funding commitments to acquire 80 percent of the NBA team, 45 percent of the arena project and the right to purchase up to 20 percent of the Atlantic Yards Development Company, which will develop the non-arena real estate. Prokhorov would be the first non-North American NBA owner.

Bobcats’ Felton signs

Charlotte, N.C. — Raymond Felton signed Charlotte’s one-year, $5.5 million qualifying offer on Wednesday after the restricted free agent was unable to come to teams on a long-term contract. The move means the Bobcats starting point guard will report on time to training camp next week, then become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

GOLF

PGA Tour may lose events

Atlanta — PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem says its highly unlikely that golf will make it through the end of next year without losing corporate sponsors and possibly some tournaments.

Finchem said Wednesday that marketing budgets remain small even as the economy is showing signs of a recovery. The tour has about a dozen sponsors that have contracts through 2010, and negotiations are ongoing.