Titans' Tony Vitello Tapped to Lead Struggling San Francisco Giants

In a surprising move, the San Francisco Giants are poised to hire University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello as their new manager. The 45-year-old Vitello, who has no prior professional coaching experience, is close to being selected by the Giants to lead their team, according to reports.

Vitello's hiring would be an unconventional choice, as he has spent the past eight seasons building the Volunteers into a powerhouse in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Under his guidance, Tennessee won SEC regular season and tournament championships in 2022 and 2024, culminating in the program's first-ever national title last year.

The Giants are hoping Vitello's success at the college level can translate to the professional ranks, as they seek to end their playoff drought that dates back to 2021. San Francisco has not advanced past the first round of the postseason since winning the World Series in 2014, and the team is looking to make a big splash with this high-risk, high-reward managerial hire.

Vitello will have his work cut out for him, as the Giants are coming off two disappointing seasons under former manager Bob Melvin, who was let go after posting a 161-163 record. The new coach will be tasked with turning around a struggling franchise and leading them back to the playoffs for the first time in four years.