Tony Vitello Clarifies Comments on Tennessee Departure

Giants manager addresses reporting around his move from the University of Tennessee

Feb. 19, 2026 at 11:23am by Ben Kaplan

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Tony Vitello, the new manager of the San Francisco Giants, clarified comments he made a day earlier about the reporting around his departure from the University of Tennessee. Vitello said he was simply stating facts and defending himself, like he would want one of his players to do, after reports surfaced in October about his interest in the Giants job before it was officially announced.

Why it matters

Vitello's comments highlighted the challenges coaches and players can face when sensitive personnel decisions become public before they are finalized, and the impact that can have on the individuals involved and their families.

The details

Vitello said the initial report on October 18 that he was close to becoming the new Giants manager was not accurate, and that his final decision didn't come until days later when the move was officially announced on October 22. He said the early reporting had his assistant coaches 'freaking out' even though 'at that point, nothing was going to happen.' Vitello described the turbulence created by the report as 'less than ideal circumstances' because it affected not just himself, but the people he's around every day.

  • On February 17, 2026, Vitello clarified the comments he made a day earlier about the reporting of his move from Tennessee to the Giants.
  • The initial report connecting Vitello and the Giants job came on a Saturday afternoon in October as Tennessee's baseball team was on the field for a fall workout.

The players

Tony Vitello

The new manager of the San Francisco Giants, who previously was the head coach at the University of Tennessee.

Buster Posey

A former MLB player who Vitello said he would have agreed to join in doing something with the Giants.

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What they’re saying

“If somebody tweets out or says something that's not true about you, and it affects your life significantly, it's not just a deal where your feelings are hurt, but it has a significant impact. And particularly on my family — which I've obviously got family, but not in Knoxville, the team was my family — then I'm not going to be happy about it.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager

“I wouldn't take what I say too seriously. I mean, we were talking about Lil' Wayne yesterday. So, again, I think the facts of the case were what I just said. It's just that anybody else would react the exact same way.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager

What’s next

The Giants will open their Cactus League schedule on Saturday in Arizona, marking the first game action for Vitello as the team's new manager.

The takeaway

Vitello's comments highlight the challenges coaches and athletes can face when sensitive personnel decisions become public before they are finalized, and the impact that can have on the individuals involved and their families. His desire to defend himself and set the record straight shows the importance of controlling the narrative around major career moves.