In the 21st century, the program struggled to compete in the OUA, having not qualified for the playoffs from 2004 to 2017 and not having a winning record since 2001. The program then made national headlines in 2010 after it was discovered that a student athlete was in possession of steroids and human growth hormone in March 2010. The school then conducted a steroid investigation that had led to all 65 members of its team tested for steroids on March 31, with three positive results. Consequently, on June 14, 2010, the school announced that the program would be suspended for the 2010 season. While the football team returned for the 2011 season, it proved difficult as many players transferred to other schools after they learned they would not be able to play at Waterloo that year. Consequently, the Warriors finished winless in eight games in their return to the OUA. The team was coached by Dennis McPhee, who was the former head coach of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men football team where he won Atlantic University Sportcoach of the year in 2002. In 2011, they experienced the growing pains associated with a year off of football, and losing most starters and veterans to transfers. At the end of the season, McPhee resigned as head coach on November 22, 2011. The team was then led by Joe Paopao for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In 2012, most expected the Warriors to be at the cold cellar of CIS, however, they surprised the football community with convincing wins against the York Lions and a huge upset victory over the Windsor Lancers. They won one game in 2013 against the expansion Carleton Ravens. Paopao resigned following the 2013 season and Marshall Bingeman's appointment as interim head coach for 2014. The team won one game in 2014 against the Lions, which was an away game. Chris Bertoia was hired as Head Coach and Manager of Football Operations for the 2015 season. After finishing their 2015 and 2016 seasons winless, the Warriors won their first four games of the 2017 season, before losing their remaining four to finish in seventh place and just outside of the playoffs. It was the teams' best finish since 2007 and their best record since 2001. In the 2018 season, the Warriors continued their strong play with another 4-4 record, but qualified for the playoffs based on their victory over the 4-4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks earlier in the season. In their first playoff appearance since 2003, the Warriors lost to the Guelph Gryphons by a score of 45-34. In 2019, the Warriors finished again with a 4-4 record, but this time earned their first post-season victory in 20 years with a resounding 44-21 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team lost a close OUA semi-final game to the Western Mustangs, ranked #1 in the country, by a score of 30-24.
Season-by-season record
The following is the record of the Waterloo Warriors football team since 1995:
