Tracy Morgan is suiting up for another round of primetime laughs. NBC has officially ordered a pilot for an untitled single-camera comedy starring and executive produced by Morgan, bringing him back into the fold with some familiar faces from 30 Rock.
The series—penned by 30 Rock veterans Robert Carlock and Sam Means—follows Morgan as a disgraced former football player looking to rebuild his reputation. And if that premise doesn’t already have you intrigued, the talent behind the scenes should seal the deal. Fey, Carlock, and Means are all on board as executive producers, along with Eric Gurian and David Miner. Rhys Thomas (Documentary Now!, Saturday Night Live) is set to direct the pilot, which hails from Universal Television in collaboration with Little Stranger, Bevel Gears, and 3 Arts.
READ: Adrianna Mitchell Joins Tracy Morgan’s New Paramount+ Series ‘Crutch’ Alongside Jermaine Fowler
While NBC has yet to greenlight the series beyond the pilot, this marks the network’s first comedy pilot order of the season—a strong indication that they’re betting big on Morgan’s return.
This isn’t the only project on Morgan’s plate. He’s also starring in Crutch, an upcoming Paramount+ comedy spun off from CBS’s The Neighborhood. The series, set in Harlem, follows Francois “Frank” Crutchfield (Morgan), a widower whose quiet life is upended when his grown children return home. Crutch boasts an impressive cast, including Jermaine Fowler as Crutch’s Ivy League-educated son Jake, Adrianna Mitchell as his free-spirited daughter Jamilah, and Jenifer Lewis as Antoinette, Crutch’s meddling but stylish sister-in-law. With Crutch already in production and the NBC pilot on the horizon, Morgan’s schedule is about to be stacked—but his deal allows him to take on both projects if they move forward.
For 30 Rock fans, this new NBC pilot is a reunion years in the making. Morgan and Fey last shared the screen as the unpredictable Tracy Jordan and his no-nonsense producer Liz Lemon, a pairing that helped define the show’s seven-season run.
Behind the scenes, Carlock and Fey have been longtime creative partners, co-creating hits like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mr. Mayor. Carlock and Means also teamed up for Netflix’s Mulligan, proving they know how to craft sharp, satirical comedy.