PITTSBURGH STEELERS CORNERBACK JALEN RAMSEY. | PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

They collapsed at the end of last season and went splat in the post-season because they weren’t good enough on offense or defense.

That much was obvious against Philadelphia and Kansas City in December and especially against Baltimore in January.

But the Steelers also came to perceive themselves as a team that was lacking in leadership.

That, too, is apparent given some of the alternatives they sought while turning over the roster.

The two most obvious answers in that department are Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Rodgers.

They might wind up being the two most impactful Steelers this season.

Rodgers, by virtue of his status as the starting quarterback, knew leadership would be part of his role all along.

Rodgers, thanks in part to his obvious charisma and his unimpeachable resume, is up to it. He announced his intention to become a “servant leader” upon his arrival in the spring and has seemingly done everything humanly possible to promote chemistry, camaraderie and togetherness among teammates. He also is serving up whatever type of leadership is required for each specific teammate, be it a text message at night, a correction on the practice field or an assessment in the media.

Rodgers has been who they thought he was, what they needed him to be.

Ramsey, like Rodgers a Hall-of-Fame caliber player as a cornerback, slot cornerback and safety, is here to lead by example and by stirring the pot.

The Steelers knew Ramsey was a three-time First-Team Associated Press All-Pro when they traded for him. They also knew he was, as assistant general manager Andy Weidl assessed last week, a “vicious player” and a “violent hitter”.

“That becomes contagious,” Weidl continued. “I’ve seen it in different places. We have a physical group to begin with. I think it just becomes even more contagious to the room when you bring in a guy with that mindset and that ability.”

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, like Weidl, downplayed the Steelers’ relative lack of “vicious” and “violent” prior to Ramsey’s arrival while at the same time welcoming more of that.

“I think we have it, but you can’t get enough of it,” Austin maintained. “What he brings really helps and helps all the guys because when you get around guys that are great players, they usually have really high expectations of themselves, but also of others.

“That’s really the big thing, to try to get everybody to play at a really high level. His temperament helps that. I’ve never been around really good defensive teams that weren’t and didn’t have a lot of guys like that.”

The Steelers are Ramsey’s fourth team in what will be his 10th NFL season.

But his brand of contagious, apparently, isn’t for everyone.

Still, if you’re going to make an omelette, let alone win a playoff game for the first time in nine campaigns, you’ve got to break a few eggs.

Ramsey has shown up intent on delivering as he always has, and understanding there’s more than just interceptions, blitzing off the slot and locking up against the opponent’s top receiver attached to his job description.

“I think I’m here for various reasons,” Ramsey said. “I wouldn’t just put myself in a box of being here for one thing or another.

“I hope it’s contagious. I hope that the way I go out there and go about my business and play the game is contagious to my teammates in a positive way. But I think there’s a bunch of guys out here on this team already who have those intangibles anyway. We’re just trying to put it together and put a good product out on the field.”

They can get there by following the leaders.

Mike Prisuta is the sports anchor/reporter for Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show. He’s also the host of the Steelers Radio Network Pregame Show and the color analyst for Robert Morris University men’s hockey broadcasts.