Michael T. Mondak speaks: Small Battles, Big Victories Chapter 17: 30 for 30 - Small Battles, Big Victories

The previous post talked about how Jackson Pryts and Cassie Day served as co-grand marshals of the Holiday Light Parade in the city of Hermitage.  This one talks about ESPN's 30 for 30 about Jackson and Cassie's bond.

The lights dimmed, and the familiar theme of ESPN Films: 30 for 30 played across living rooms and theaters across America.

A simple title card appeared:

“Small Battles, Big Victories.”

The documentary opened not on the field, but in a quiet hospital room — a nine-year-old girl in a hospital bed, her small hand gripping a Penn State football glove that Jackson Pryts had given her.

From there, the story unfolded like a living memory — real footage, raw emotion, and interviews that stitched together the bond between Cassie Day and Jackson Pryts, from her battle with cancer to his championship promise.

Scene One — “The Beginning”

The first segment traced back to April, years ago, when Cassie was first diagnosed. Her parents, still teary even years later, recalled the long nights at Sharon Regional Medical Center — and the day Jackson walked into her room.

“I just thought he was there to visit kids,” Cassie said in a sit-down interview, filmed years later. “But he made me a promise — that when he won a championship, I’d be there.”

Her voice cracked, and the camera cut to old home footage of her cheering from her hospital bed, blue and white balloons tied to the railing beside her.

Scene Two — “The Rise”

ESPN’s cameras blended old game footage with new interviews — Jackson in his college dorm, his teammates at practice, and coaches like Terry Smith recounting how much Cassie’s story inspired the locker room.

“Every time Jackson made a play, it wasn’t just football,” Coach Smith said. “He was fighting for someone else.”

The score swelled as clips rolled from the upset at Ohio State, the Homecoming victory over Michigan State, and the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis.  Gus Johnson’s voice echoed: “He’s got daylight! Jackson Pryts with the play of the game!”

Cassie, now in the stands, was seen clapping through tears as confetti rained down.

Scene Three — “The Promise Fulfilled”

The third act of the film focused on the national championship against Notre Dame.  ESPN had exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from pregame to postgame — including Cassie’s walk onto the field with stadium security and the Nittany Lion mascot by her side.

When the final whistle blew, the camera lingered on Cassie as Jackson ran to her, wrapping her in a hug under a shower of blue and white confetti.  The slow-motion replay became one of the most replayed ESPN moments of the year.

And then came the shot of Cassie’s tenth birthday two months later — the balloons, the ring, and Jackson walking through the door holding both.

Scene Four — “The Next Chapter”

Narrated by Reese Witherspoon, the documentary then pivoted to the years that followed — Jackson’s draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers, his three Super Bowl victories, and Cassie’s own triumphs: beating cancer, becoming valedictorian at Hickory High School, and heading to Penn State to study meteorology.

“People see the football,” said ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit on camera. “But what they miss is that this was about perseverance. About two people who gave each other hope when the odds said otherwise.”

Scene Five — “The Legacy”

The final ten minutes were pure emotion.

Cassie and Jackson, now adults, sat side by side for their joint interview — filmed at Penn State’s Lasch Building.  Behind them, the same blue and white banners hung high.

“When you go through something like that,” Jackson said, “you don’t just win games. You win life.”

Cassie smiled. “And the best part is — we kept our promise.”

The documentary ended with Cassie forecasting the weather on live TV, with the caption reading:

Cassie Day — Student Meteorologist.”

Fade out.

Title Card:

Dedicated to Nittany Nation, and to every fighter who believes that small battles lead to big victories.

Producers: ESPN Films / NFL Films

Narrator: Reese Witherspoon

Original Score: Hans Zimmer

Premiere: ESPN, ABC, and Disney+ simulcast

Viewer Rating: 9.7/10 on IMDb

Winner: Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Documentary

Like the Oscar-winning movie before it, the documentary also had its world premiere in Hermitage, which included a panel discussion from Jackson, Cassie, Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Terry Smith, Mike Tomlin, Roger Goodell, Bill Dungee and Bob Greenburg.