Tom Brady's controversial shorts may be the ultimate symbol of dad devotion

Tom Brady admits that his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen has final say over his wardrobe, so his latest look — bοοty shorts imprinted with family photos — is extra confusing.

On Tuesday, the New England Patriots quarterback debuted the short-shorts (swim trunks?) on Instagram in a beach pic along with a Muhammed Ali quote: “The More REAL You Get… The More UNREAL It Gets.”

Followers were amused: “What the hell is he wearing….what’s on his shorts???” “Need more info on these shorts thx,” “Girl shorts,” and “Tom. Babe. I love you but are those your children screen-printed on your sculpted shorts?”

On Twitter, people were no more pleased.

Brady makes it very clear he values family time. In April, he and Gisele took a trip to Qatar, where they rode camels on the beach and visited outdoor markets. And on his Facebook show Tom vs. Time, the NFL player speaks about his responsibilities as a father to three kids, daughter Vivian, 5, and sons Benjamin, 8, and John, 10, the last of whom he shares with actress Bridget Moynahan.

So the shorts, which appear to feature at least one of his sons, might be an expression of love. Brady didn’t credit the item, but they might be from British brand Orlebar Brown, which prints personal photos onto swim trunks for $595.

A representative from the brand did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• Tom Brady is taking heat for his ‘uncomfortably’ long kiss with his son

• What to do when an adult bullies your kid, like what happened to Tom Brady

• Tom Brady says Super Bowl loss is a valuable lesson for his kids — and he’s not wrong

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.