Why did Festus and Jesse leave the WWE?

Jesse (Ray Gordy) was released due to a lack of crowd reaction in April 2010. He then retired from professional Wrestling. Festus (Drew Hankinson) became Luke Gallows and joined the Straight Edge Society. Following the end of the Straight Edge Society, Hankinson was released in Novemeber 2010. Hankinson now works on TNA/iMPACT as "DOC."