New Giants Manager Reflects on Emotional Transition from College to Pros

Tony Vitello opens up about the challenges of leaving Tennessee program he built

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In his first week as the new San Francisco Giants manager, Tony Vitello took time during a media session to reflect on the emotional process of leaving his previous job as the head coach at the University of Tennessee. Vitello discussed the confusion and consternation caused by premature media reports about his hiring, as well as the difficulty of informing his coaching staff and players about his decision to depart. Despite the Giants viewing Vitello as a quick study, his focus on his college background has raised some questions about his readiness for the professional ranks.

Why it matters

Vitello's transition from the college game to the MLB represents a significant career move, and his candid comments provide insight into the personal and professional challenges that come with such a shift. As a first-time professional manager, Vitello's ability to adapt and leave his college roots behind will be crucial to his success with the Giants.

The details

Vitello was caught off guard by media reports in October 2025 that the Giants were "closing in" on him as their new manager, before he had even formally accepted the job. This led to an emotionally fraught few days as Vitello sought to get confirmation from his Tennessee coaching staff that they would be okay with him leaving. Vitello said he had to "address the team" about the situation, which caused "the locker room to get a little testy." Even after accepting the Giants job, Vitello has continued to reference his Tennessee players and recruits, leading to questions about whether he has fully moved on from his college roots.

  • On October 18, 2025, The Athletic reported the Giants were "closing in" on Vitello as their new manager.
  • Vitello said the "final blow" came about four days after the initial report, as he worked to get confirmation from his Tennessee coaching staff.
  • Vitello officially accepted the Giants job on October 22, 2025.

The players

Tony Vitello

The new manager of the San Francisco Giants, who previously served as the head coach of the University of Tennessee baseball team.

The Athletic

The media outlet that first reported the Giants were "closing in" on Vitello as their new manager.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You know, somebody decides they think they've got the information (but) the final blow was about four days later. I needed confirmation from the coaches that I worked with that helped boost my status that they were OK with what was going to go on, and they were going to be OK with their jobs. That staff had always been built like the next man up, and all of a sudden that was being threatened. It's kind of hard to do something for yourself, and your teammates get left behind.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager (The New York Times)

“Shrink-wise, I did a really damn good job at keeping that away from our team, our recruiting, and it was not a distraction. And then all of a sudden, in the middle of practice, I see our first and third base coach freaking out, and they freaked out on me, too — and for no reason, because at that point nothing was going to happen, but somebody decided that it was going to happen. And then the whole world starts spinning real, real quick, and I had to address the team.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager (The New York Times)

What’s next

Vitello will continue to adapt to the professional game as he leads the Giants through spring training and into the 2026 MLB season.

The takeaway

Vitello's candid comments highlight the personal and professional challenges that can come with a high-profile career transition, even for an accomplished college coach. As he seeks to prove himself at the MLB level, Vitello will need to fully embrace his new role and leave his Tennessee roots behind.