Ron Rivera plans to keep coaching through final weeks of cancer treatment

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera hasn't had an easy time coaching this season, but he plans to continue to do so through the final three weeks of his treatment for squamous cell cancer in his lymph nodes. 

"It's who I am," Rivera said Monday on "Good Morning America," according to ESPN's John Keim. "Listening to the doctors talking about how important it is to try and do as much of the routine as possible, but they also tell you, 'Hey, be careful, listen to your body.' And also, there's other people watching me, so I'm just trying to set the example."

Rivera was diagnosed with cancer in August, causing him to miss two practices and arrive late to a third. Doctors were lucky enough to catch the cancer early on and Rivera's prognosis was good at the time. 

During Washington's 31-17 Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Rivera was exhausted after receiving chemotherapy treatment earlier in the week. He was seen being helped to the locker room at halftime and frequently took breaks to hydrate and sit down. Before the game even began, he took two IV fluids. 

Rivera's wife, Stephanie, and the team placed 450 cardboard cutouts of his family and friends in the stands for Washington's Week 4 matchup, a pleasant surprise for the head coach. Before the start of Sunday's game, players were also seen wearing "Rivera Strong" t-shirts. 

The 58-year-old reflected on his diagnosis ahead of Sunday's game and revealed he wishes every American was covered with proper health care in the same way he is after seeing how much it costs to treat cancer.

Millions of Americans aren't covered, and many more have lost coverage due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With a diagnosis like Rivera's, many Americans would be financially unable to afford the cost of treatment.