Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins out with torn knee ligament

An MRI test on Friday confirmed that Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, leaving the AFC North leaders without another star player on defense.

The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought he’d torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it.

The Bengals (6-3) didn’t have many injuries during their opening push that left them in control of the AFC North, leading second-place Baltimore (3-4). They’ve suffered several significant injuries in the last three weeks.

Top cornerback Leon Hall is out for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. Safety Taylor Mays is gone with a dislocated shoulder. Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga got a concussion and hurt his left knee during a 49-9 win over the Jets on Sunday and was on crutches during the week, out indefinitely.

Now, they’ve lost their top defensive lineman. Atkins led all NFL interior linemen in sacks with 12.5 last season and topped the Bengals with six so far this year.

Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has been suspended indefinitely without pay for another violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

Blackmon was suspended the first four games of this season for violating the policy. This is at least his third violation in about 18 months, and the Jaguars are acknowledging he has a problem.

“All of us who are a part of the Jaguars family care very deeply about Justin and his well-being,” General Manager Dave Caldwell said in a statement. “That said, he must be held accountable and accept the consequences announced today by the NFL.

Blackmon’s suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to apply for reinstatement before the start of the 2014 season.

BASEBALL

Jeter gets $12-million deal with Yankees

Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees worked out a $12-million, one-year deal that kept the captain from going on the open market, while Joe Nathan, Jose Veras, Ubaldo Jimenez, Kurt Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez were among the players who became free agents Friday.

The Mets declined their option on injured pitcher Johan Santana; Boston exercised its option on pitcher Jon Lester.

Toronto exercised options on closer Casey Janssen, first baseman Adam Lind and infielder Mark DeRosa and declined an option on infielder Munenori Kawasaki.

Jeter, who turns 40 next June, was limited to 17 games this year after breaking his ankle in the 2012 playoffs. He spent four stints on the disabled list in the most frustrating season of his 19-year career. His deal had included a $9.5-million player option.

The Mets declined a $25-million option on Santana and will pay the two-time Cy Young Award winner a $5.5-million buyout. Santana, who turns 35 on March 13, went 46-34 with a 3.18 ERA while with the Mets, missing the 2011 and 2013 seasons because of shoulder injuries.

Lester, who gets $13 million, was the starting and winning pitcher twice during Boston’s six-game World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The 29-year-old was 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA in the regular season. He went 4-1 with a 1.65 ERA in the postseason, including victories in Games 1 and 5 of the Series.

Nathan, the Texas Rangers’ All-Star closer, declined his half of a $9-million mutual option. The pitcher, who turns 39 this month, was 6-2 with a 1.39 ERA and 43 saves last season and wants a multiyear deal.

Detroit declined a $3.25 million option on Veras, who receives a $150,000 buyout.

Also, the Indians declined their $7.5-million club option on outfielder Jason Kubel. He was acquired from Arizona on Aug. 20.

Oakland exercised its $7.5-million option on center fielder Coco Crisp, who hit a career-high 22 home runs in the leadoff spot. The A’s also exercised their $8-million option on left-hander Brett Anderson and declined an $8.5-million option on catcher Kurt Suzuki and an $11-million option outfielder Chris Young.

A person familiar with the situation said the Chicago Cubs are interviewing former catcher Brad Ausmus for their manager’s job. Ausmus works in San Diego’s front office as a special assistant to the general manager.

ETC.

Sedin brothers sign 4-year deals with Canucks

Twin superstars Daniel and Henrik Sedin have signed four-year contract extensions with the Vancouver Canucks — the only NHL team they have ever known.

The twins signed matching four-year deals on Friday worth $28 million, avoiding what could have been a major in-season distraction. The Sedins could have become unrestricted free agents next summer, but instead decided it was in their best interest to stay in Vancouver.

Henrik Sedin — the Canucks captain — began Friday leading the NHL this season with 15 assists, and he was tied for second with 18 points. Daniel Sedin was tied for seventh with 15 points (six goals, nine assists).

Novak Djokovic won his 15th straight match and Roger Federer beat a top-10 player for the first time since January, setting up a semifinal match between the two at the Paris Masters.

Djokovic beat Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-1, 6-4, on Friday, and Federer overcame Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal also moved into the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Richard Gasquet. Nadal will face defending champion David Ferrer, a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner over Tomas Berdych.

The last time Federer had beaten a top-10 player was when he outlasted Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

Federer avenged a loss last weekend to del Potro in the Swiss Indoors final. The 17-time Grand Slam champion played nearly flawless tennis in the first set, making 17 winners and only four unforced errors.

Dustin Johnson tied the course record with a nine-under 63, four shots better than anyone else Friday, and built a five-shot lead in the HSBC Champions at Shanghai. It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing.

It was an impressive display, Johnson at his very best with the most important club in his bag. He ran off six birdies in his opening seven holes. He never hit more than eight-iron into a par-four. He twice came within 15 yards of driving the green on par-four4s — once with a three-iron.

Johnson became the sixth player with a 63 at Sheshan International, last achieved by Martin Kaymer in the final round in 2011. He was at 12-under 132, five shots clear of Rory McIlroy (72), Bubba Watson (69) and Boo Weekley (67).

Fred Couples took the second-round lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, shooting his second straight six-under 65 in the Champions Tour’s season-ending event.

Winless this season with four runner-up finishes, Couples had a bogey-free round at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park.

First-round leader Peter Senior bogeyed the 18th for a 69 to fall two strokes back. Bart Bryant was third at eight under after a 66. Bernhard Langer was another stroke back after a 68.

Jimmie Johnson qualified third for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Fort Worth, one row ahead of Matt Kenseth. Johnson and Kenseth are tied for the points lead going into Sunday’s race.

Carl Edwards starts on the pole after a qualifying lap of 196.114 mph. Edwards earned his first pole at Texas, where he is the only three-time Cup winner.

The pole-sitter has won the last two races at the high-banked 11/2-mile track.

Brad Keselowski starts on the front row after a fast lap of 196.100 mph, just ahead of Johnson’s 195.943 mph. Kenseth qualified sixth. Jeff Gordon starts eighth. He is third in points, 27 behind Johnson and Kenseth.