Detroit Lions legendary running back and NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders has taken an ownership stake in a Florida-based car wash company that has two Macomb County locations in the works, according to a published report.

Sanders is expected to play a key role in El Car Wash’s expansion across Michigan, DBusiness reported earlier this week.

“Barry’s legendary career, his dedication to excellence, and his deep ties to Michigan make him an ideal partner as we continue to grow and expand our footprint in the Midwest,” Justin Landau and Geoffrey Karas, co-CEOs of El Car Wash, said in a joint statement.

El Car Wash opened its first Michigan location in Brighton earlier this year, and later opened another location in Madison Heights on 14 Mile Road west of Stephenson Highway.

According to the company’s website, new locations are planned in Sterling Heights, Warren and Novi. The Sterling Heights car wash will be on Metro Parkway just east of Dequindre Road, while the Warren location is planned for Mound Road near 12 Mile Road in the Meijer store parking lot.

“Becoming a part of the El Car Wash movement was the perfect opportunity for me to invest further in Michigan,” Sanders said.

The Miami-based company was founded in 2011, and today it operates 52 locations in Florida. They did not respond to an email request for further comment from The Macomb Daily.