If you have a checked bag, you will become a "less attractive" VDB candidate - meaning the GA could skip over you in favor VDBing a customer with only carry-on luggage. However, if you don't care about being with your luggage, then you can just let it go, and catch up with it the next day.

If you DO need your luggage, and they ARE depserate for volunteers, then they CAN pull the luggage off the plane for you. It's just a pain for them, and they don't like hassling with it if they don't have to.