If there’s an unsung reason the New England Patriots have entered their bye week with the NFL’s best record following back-to-back 4-13 seasons, it may be as…

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.(AP) — If there’s an unsung reason the New England Patriots have entered their bye week with the NFL’s best record following back-to-back 4-13 seasons, it may be as simple as them enjoying being around one another.

While teams around the league dole out platitudes about brotherhood, these Patriots (11-2) are remarkably close, on and off the field.

Whether it’s been quarterback Drake Maye and rookie left tackle Will Campbell sitting courtside at a Celtics game or having dinner together in Boston’s North End, the weekly dinners shared by the offensive line, or the ways coach Mike Vrabel has given attention to individual players, the bonds of this roster are noticeable.

“This is probably the tightest group of guys I’ve been around in my four years,” offensive lineman Vederian Lowe said.

Creating those connections was not a given after an offseason that saw only 27 holdovers from last season make this season’s initial 53-man roster.

At his introductory news conference in January, Vrabel said he wanted to put the players and their needs at the forefront as he began building the team’s culture.

He has backed it up at the end of every game, when he shakes hands with the opposing coach, then sprints to the tunnel to ensure he’s at the locker room door to greet each player.

Some get a handshake or a “Nice job.” Others receive a longer embrace and maybe a few words in their ear. It’s varied by design.

“I understand I’m going to have a different relationship with some players than I do others,” Vrabel said. “But I’m going to have a relationship with every single one of them.”

He’s also done smaller things that have resonated, like bringing back individual player introductions before games — something that had been absent for at least a decade in New England. He also selects weekly game captains, which come as a surprise to players. Those picked for the role often have a link with that week’s opponent.

In New England’s win over the New York Giants last week, one captain was linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who missed the team’s game at Cincinnati in Week 12 for personal reasons.

The Patriots dedicated that victory to him and made a video call to him in the locker room afterward. After the win over the Giants, Vrabel asked Tavai to break down the locker room huddle.

“Glad to have you back,” Vrabel told Tavai as teammates stood around him cheering.

Walking to the middle of the group, Tavai said, “I love the brotherhood in here and I’ll ride with any of y’all any day. I love you guys and appreciate you guys.”

Then there are players like 32-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Along with leading the Patriots in receptions (64) and receiving yards (705), he’s also embraced his role as a mentor to young receivers Kayshon Boutte (23), DeMario Douglas (25) and Kyle Williams (23).

Diggs didn’t score a touchdown over the first seven games, the longest such stretch of his career to begin a season. But he supported his fellow receivers throughout, often being the first in line to give them high-fives.

Williams said the Patriots have a culture of joy.

“It is hard not to feel it,” he said. “As soon as you walk through the building, you see we share a whole locker, so we are always just cracking jokes and uplifting everybody. It is hard to be in a bad mood when you’ve got so many joyful people around you.”

Diggs said a lot of the credit goes to Vrabel, who helped him feel welcome as a free-agent addition coming off knee surgery.

“He is one of my favorite coaches up to this point. I look forward to building off of that,” Diggs said. “It’s been a very, very fun year. … He’s made the transition real seamless as far as helping the team band together, spending time together, getting to know each other, and appreciating him as a man.”

Diggs said the way the Patriots interact with one another is genuine.

“Guys really pulling for each other. It’s not fake out there,” he said. “You want the guys to play well, you want the guys around you to play well. Throwing those extra blocks and doing all that. I think it goes a long way. … We all hold each other accountable.”

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