NASHVILLE, Tenn. >>

The din begins to build almost as soon as the final football hits the ground to signal the end of a Tennessee Titans’ training camp practice:

“Mar-cus! … Mar-cus! … Marc-cus!”

Even on this day of temperatures pushing 90 degrees and oppressive humidity, fans and their children patiently line the chest-high chain link fence behind the Titans’ Saint Thomas Sports Park practice facility here and wait for quarterback Marcus Mariota to make his appointed rounds.

After the quarterbacks have finished their post-practice huddle reviewing the day’s shared practice with the Carolina Panthers and head for the long-awaited showers, Mariota quickly towels off and makes his way over to where special duty Nashville Metro Police officers keep order while 200 or more wait for what has become a ritual.

Mariota, a pile of Sharpie pens placed at his feet for the occasion by a team assistant, signs photos, jerseys, footballs, you name it, and poses for pictures and shakes hands with fans.

“I don’t know about signing your shirt, though,” Mariota, affecting a stern tone, tells a 10-year-old boy clad in a New England Patriots T-shirt. The youngster nervously looks up and, upon seeing Mariota’s smile, they both laugh.

Mariota thanks a brother and sister who greet him with plastic lei and high-fives. “Nice touch,” he says.

Some youngsters are so star-struck they glance up and down, taking the full measure of his 6-foot, 4-inch frame, unable to speak. Whereupon Mariota will invariably ask, “Don’t you want us to take a picture?” to break the ice.

Or, he will ask their name, how they are doing today and attempt to engage in conversation.

“Marcus has been great with our fans, especially with the kids,” said Stuart Spears, the Titans’ vice president and chief revenue officer. “He will talk to them on that next level to make a strong personal connection they remember.”

One of them, 41⁄2-year old Logan Dean, was so excited after Mariota signed his No. 8 replica jersey, he took off in a bolt, nearly running the length of the practice field to go show friends.

The Titans encourage players to make themselves available for autographs or photos at least once during the month-long course of the training camp. Mariota, entering his third season, has been there regularly barring immediate training room and other commitments.

“When he can, Marcus will try to get to all of the people,” Spears said. “He can’t always do that, but he tries to get as many as he can and makes sure he at least gets to meet a bunch of kids.”

Part of it, Mariota and Titans’ executives will tell you, is his fulfilling the role of being the team’s quarterback. The other part is pure want-to. “It is something he is very interested in doing on a personal level,” Spears said. “That’s just who he is.”

“I look at the kids out there and know that I was, once upon a time, one of them. When I was growing up I was one of those kids trying to get autographs and meet the players at the Pro Bowl,” Mariota said. “I’ve kind of come full circle. So, I want to give back to as many of them as I can. Sometimes it only takes 15 or 20 minutes. That’s what it is all about; as athletes I feel like we have a responsibility not only to ourselves but the community.”

A youngster, apparently too overwhelmed to initially speak after Mariota signed his jersey, takes about 20 steps, whirls around and yells an exuberant, ‘Thank you, Mr. Mariota!”

Mariota smiles, waves and replies, “Thank you!”

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.