Longtime Saturday Night Live cast member and 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan will host SNL on October 17th, NBC announced today. The hosting gig marks a triumphant return to the entertainment world for Morgan after an auto accident last year caused him extensive injuries and left comic (and Morgan's close friend) James McNair dead.

A sleep-deprived Walmart truck driver was ultimately blamed for the wreck, and earlier this year Walmart and Morgan reached a legal settlement over the fatal crash. Morgan has faced a grueling rehabilitation process in the year-plus since, making his first television appearance in an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today in June. "I can’t believe I’m here," he said then. Aside from his cast member run that began in 1996 and concluded in 2003, Morgan previously hosted SNL in 2009. He'll be the third host of the show's 41st season, with Miley Cyrus (October 3rd) and Amy Schumer (October 10th) coming first.