The New England Patriots’ NFL-best 11-2 record says everything you need to know about Mike Vrabel’s impact in his first year as head coach. The former Pats linebacker built a winning culture after back-to-back 4-13 seasons in Foxboro.

Vrabel’s approach has resonated in the Patriots locker room and translated to the field. That was evident on Monday night, when New England showcased its physicality in a 33-15 rout of the New York Giants.

On Thursday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand to shed more light on how the Patriots view Vrabel.

“I think there is a feeling in that building that Mike Vrabel is as invested in everyone else as they are in him,” Breer said. “The investment that he has made, and all the kooky family videos from the offseason and all of that stuff that at the beginning seemed a little corny, there’s value to that. I think the value to it is that these players, who are the important people in the equation, feel like their coach is incredibly invested in all of them.

“The performance on Monday night, the play style I think, is his players investing back in him as he’s investing in them. It’s a cool thing to see. It doesn’t mean they’re there yet from a roster standpoint, but I think you see just the incredible level of buy-in with how fast they’re playing, how much they believe in their coaching and their systems. I think a huge part of it is that the players really feel that level of investment from the guy in charge. That’s why, to me, he’s the Coach of the Year.”

Vrabel’s young quarterback, Drake Maye, agrees with Breer’s assessment.

“He’s got my vote and he’s got a lot of people’s vote,” Maye said about Vrabel’s Coach of the Year candidacy after Monday’s win. “He’s got everybody’s vote in this organization and in that locker room and I’m sure across the league.”

The Patriots will enter Week 14 as the top seed in the AFC, with the Denver Broncos (10-2) on their heels. Broncos coach Sean Payton will undoubtedly earn Coach of the Year consideration, but Vrabel’s impact after a half-decade of down years in New England cannot be overstated.

Vrabel and the Patriots will enjoy their bye week before returning to action against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 14.

Hear everything Breer had to say about Vrabel in the video player above.