Use recursion in Java is not right

RecursionMax.java

import java.util.*;

public class RecursionMax {

    public static Integer max(LinkedList<Integer> numberList, Integer maxNumber) {
        if (numberList.size() == 0) {
            return maxNumber;
        } else {
            Integer firstNumber = numberList.get(0);
            if (maxNumber < firstNumber) {
                maxNumber = firstNumber;
            }

            numberList.removeFirst();
            return max(numberList, maxNumber);
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        LinkedList<Integer> numberList = new LinkedList<Integer>();
        numberList.add(4);
        numberList.add(3);
        numberList.add(10);
        numberList.add(6);
        numberList.add(998);

        // 998
        System.out.println(RecursionMax.max(numberList, 0));
    }
}